Abstract: A portable image analysis system including a hand held head assembly with an imaging window in the bottom of a housing, at least one light source in the housing directed at the imaging window, and an imaging device in the housing optically coupled to the imaging window. A computer, coupled to the hand held head assembly includes an imaging quality analysis program and a monitor for displaying images in the imaging window of the housing captured by the imaging device of the hand held head assembly for performing in situ image quality measurements.

Abstract: A non-contact vision based inspection system and method for flat specular parts in which an imaging camera defining an image plane is aimed at a part to be inspected for taking a single image of the part. A staging apparatus is used to move the part relative to the camera until the single image of the part is obtained. The image plane is fixed to remain parallel to the object plane defined by the part as the part moves relative to the imaging camera.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically dispensing flowable material which automatically ensures a substantially constant and even supply of flowable material from a source of the flowable material to some destination at which the flowable material needed or is used. The flowable material may be any material that can be extruded from a collapsible tube upon the exertion of pressure on the tube and includes liquids or gels. The apparatus comprises a collapsible tube having a nozzle end and a sealed end and containing a flowable material; a tube squeezer; a rotatable drum for pulling the collapsible tube through the tube squeezer as the drum rotates; a motor for rotating the drum; and an electronic feedback mechanism for disengaging the motor so as to maintain pressure of the flowable material within a selected pressure range and the supply of flowable material to a destination is substantially even and constant.

Abstract: A high resolution hand held scanner is disclosed for use with a character recognizing and voice synthesizing reading machine for the blind or print handicapped people. The components for scanning swaths of printed text from single sheets or bound pages of bound volumes are housed in an elongated, dust-tight carriage. A broad roller is rotatably mounted on one edge of the carriage and a split roller is rotatably mounted on an opposite edge. The roller axes are coplanar and parallel with each other, so that when the carriage is manually moved across a page to be scanned, a window in the carriage floor is maintained a predetermined distance therefrom and the rollers guide the carriage in a substantially straight line without need of guide rails. A strobed LED array provides the illumination for a 1728 element per inch CCD array via a Selfoc.RTM. lens. Each four CCD elements are summed to synthesize over 400 pixels per inch resolution scanning, with each synthesized pixel having increased light gathering ability.