Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring manufacture of assembly units includes: receiving selection of a target location hypothesized by a user to contain an origin of a defect in assembly units of an assembly type; accessing a feature map linking non-visual manufacturing features to physical locations within the assembly type; for each assembly unit, accessing an inspection image of the assembly unit recorded by an optical inspection station during production of the assembly unit, projecting the target location onto the inspection image, detecting visual features proximal the target location within the inspection image, and aggregating non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and representing manufacturing inputs into the assembly unit based on the feature map; and calculating correlations between visual and non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and the defect for the set of assembly units.

Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring manufacture of assembly units includes: receiving selection of a target location hypothesized by a user to contain an origin of a defect in assembly units of an assembly type; accessing a feature map linking non-visual manufacturing features to physical locations within the assembly type; for each assembly unit, accessing an inspection image of the assembly unit recorded by an optical inspection station during production of the assembly unit, projecting the target location onto the inspection image, detecting visual features proximal the target location within the inspection image, and aggregating non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and representing manufacturing inputs into the assembly unit based on the feature map; and calculating correlations between visual and non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and the defect for the set of assembly units.

Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring manufacture of assembly units includes: receiving selection of a target location hypothesized by a user to contain an origin of a defect in assembly units of an assembly type; accessing a feature map linking non-visual manufacturing features to physical locations within the assembly type; for each assembly unit, accessing an inspection image of the assembly unit recorded by an optical inspection station during production of the assembly unit, projecting the target location onto the inspection image, detecting visual features proximal the target location within the inspection image, and aggregating non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and representing manufacturing inputs into the assembly unit based on the feature map; and calculating correlations between visual and non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and the defect for the set of assembly units.

Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring manufacture of assembly units includes: receiving selection of a target location hypothesized by a user to contain an origin of a defect in assembly units of an assembly type; accessing a feature map linking non-visual manufacturing features to physical locations within the assembly type; for each assembly unit, accessing an inspection image of the assembly unit recorded by an optical inspection station during production of the assembly unit, projecting the target location onto the inspection image, detecting visual features proximal the target location within the inspection image, and aggregating non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and representing manufacturing inputs into the assembly unit based on the feature map; and calculating correlations between visual and non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and the defect for the set of assembly units.

Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring manufacture of assembly units includes: receiving selection of a target location hypothesized by a user to contain an origin of a defect in assembly units of an assembly type; accessing a feature map linking non-visual manufacturing features to physical locations within the assembly type; for each assembly unit, accessing an inspection image of the assembly unit recorded by an optical inspection station during production of the assembly unit, projecting the target location onto the inspection image, detecting visual features proximal the target location within the inspection image, and aggregating non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and representing manufacturing inputs into the assembly unit based on the feature map; and calculating correlations between visual and non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and the defect for the set of assembly units.

Abstract: One variation of a method for monitoring manufacture of assembly units includes: receiving selection of a target location hypothesized by a user to contain an origin of a defect in assembly units of an assembly type; accessing a feature map linking non-visual manufacturing features to physical locations within the assembly type; for each assembly unit, accessing an inspection image of the assembly unit recorded by an optical inspection station during production of the assembly unit, projecting the target location onto the inspection image, detecting visual features proximal the target location within the inspection image, and aggregating non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and representing manufacturing inputs into the assembly unit based on the feature map; and calculating correlations between visual and non-visual manufacturing features associated with locations proximal the target location and the defect for the set of assembly units.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a touchscreen device using a device having a rigid or semi-rigid body composed of an exterior side and a hollow interior side. The interior side is sized to receive and substantially surround at least a portion of a finger of a user. One or more contact points are provided on the exterior side of the body element, wherein each contact point when placed into contact with a touchscreen device provides an electrical charge to the touchscreen device making it able to manipulate at least one element on the touchscreen. In certain non-limiting aspects, the device takes the form of a shape, design, animal, humanoid, non-humanoid, object, character, or the like with the contact points being one or more aspects of or protrusions from the device.

Abstract: The present invention relates, in part, to an apparatus and method for operating a touchscreen device using a device having a rigid or semi-rigid body composed of an exterior side and a hollow interior side. The interior side is sized to receive and substantially surround at least a portion of a finger of a user. One or more contact points are provided on the exterior side of the body element, wherein each contact point when placed into contact with a touchscreen device provides an electrical charge to the touchscreen device making it able to manipulate at least one element on the touchscreen. In certain non-limiting aspects, the device takes the form of a shape, design, animal, humanoid, non-humanoid, object, character, or the like with the contact points being one or more aspects of or protrusions from the device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a touchscreen device using a device having a rigid or semi-rigid body composed of an exterior side and a hollow interior side. The interior side is sized to receive and substantially surround at least a portion of a finger of a user. One or more contact points are provided on the exterior side of the body element, wherein each contact point when placed into contact with a touchscreen device provides an electrical charge to the touchscreen device making it able to manipulate at least one element on the touchscreen. In certain non-limiting aspects, the device takes the form of a shape, design, animal, humanoid, non-humanoid, object, character, or the like with the contact points being one or more aspects of or protrusions from the device.