Abstract: A optical target assembly is disclosed herein. The optical target assembly is movable about orthogonal pitch, yaw and roll axes and includes a reflector, a pitch and yaw angular sensor assembly, and a roll sensor assembly. The reflector is configured to engage a source of laser light. The pitch and yaw angular sensor includes a laser light sensor and an angle detection sensor. The pitch and yaw angular sensor assembly is configured to measure 360 degrees of motion about the pitch and the yaw axes. The roll sensor assembly is configured to measure 360 degrees of motion about the roll axis. The reflector can include an aperture configured to permit a portion of laser light incident on the reflector to pass through the reflector and onto the laser light sensor. The roll sensor assembly can include a roll angle sensor and a roll level sensor coupled to a two-dimensional pendulum.

Abstract: A optical target assembly is disclosed herein. The optical target assembly is movable about orthogonal pitch, yaw and roll axes and includes a reflector, a pitch and yaw angular sensor assembly, and a roll sensor assembly. The reflector is configured to engage a source of laser light. The pitch and yaw angular sensor includes a laser light sensor and an angle detection sensor. The pitch and yaw angular sensor assembly is configured to measure 360 degrees of motion about the pitch and the yaw axes. The roll sensor assembly is configured to measure 360 degrees of motion about the roll axis. The reflector can include an aperture configured to permit a portion of laser light incident on the reflector to pass through the reflector and onto the laser light sensor. The roll sensor assembly can include a roll angle sensor and a roll level sensor coupled to a two-dimensional pendulum.

Abstract: A system for accurate determination of target orientation in a laser tracking system. A target aperture is configured to produce spatially distinct laser beam and background images. A processing unit is configured to determine a centroid of the laser beam image position using information collected from detected images, such as laser beam and background images. The laser beam image centroid position is used to determine an accurate target orientation. In one example, a process for determining target orientation includes the steps of collecting a background image passing through a first retro-reflector at a first laser light sensor; 2) collecting a measurement image passing through a second retro-reflector at a second laser light sensor; 3) establishing a common positional reference point for the measurement image and the background image; 4) subtracting the background image from the measurement image based on the common positional reference point.

Abstract: A laser based tracking unit communicates with a target to obtain position information about the target. Specifically, the target is placed at the point to be measured. The pitch, yaw and roll of the target, and the spherical coordinates of the target relative to the tracking unit are then obtained. Then additional information regarding a probe attached to the target reconciled with the above determination to determine a position of a probe tip. The target can be, for example, an active device incorporated into a moveable device such a remote controlled robot.

Abstract: A laser based tracking unit communicates with a target to obtain position information about the target. Specifically, the target is placed at the point to be measured. The pitch, yaw and roll of the target, and the spherical coordinates of the target relative to the tracking unit are the obtained. The target can be, for example, an active device incorporated into a moveable device such a remote controlled robot.