Abstract: A predictive system and process that predicts safety system activation in industrial environments when collaborative robots (COBOTs), automated guidance vehicles (AGVs), and other robots (individual or collectively “robots”) are interacting (i) between one another or (ii) between a robot and human. As provided herein, the predictive system is not meant to substitute traditional safety systems, but rather to detect and classify robot-to-robot and robot-to-human interactions and potential interactions thereof so as to limit or avoid those interactions altogether, thereby increasing safety and efficiency of the robots.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to systems and methods for ensuring human safety in a workspace shared with a robot or other dangerous machinery. The system includes one or more sensors arranged to monitor the workspace. Data from each of the sensors is acquired and analyzed to determine the positioning and spatial relationship between the human and machine, along with any respective objects that either or both may be carrying as they each move throughout the workspace. The captured data is analyzed to mitigate potential collisions between the human and the machine in the workspace, including potential collisions that may be caused by the respective objects carried by the human or machine.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a machine-readable code associated with an object moving relative to an imaging device may include imaging the machine readable code. A determination may be made as to whether image data of the machine-readable code is clipped along a leading edge of a first image frame. If the machine-readable code is determined to be clipped, (i) image data of the machine-readable code in the first image frame may be skipped, and (ii) image data contained in a subsequent image frame may be processed. Otherwise, if the code is not determined to be clipped, processing image data in the subsequent image frame may be skipped.

Abstract: A predictive system and process that predicts safety system activation in industrial environments when collaborative robots (COBOTs), automated guidance vehicles (AGVs), and other robots (individual or collectively “robots”) are interacting (i) between one another or (ii) between a robot and human. As provided herein, the predictive system is not meant to substitute traditional safety systems, but rather to detect and classify robot-to-robot and robot-to-human interactions and potential interactions thereof so as to limit or avoid those interactions altogether, thereby increasing safety and efficiency of the robots.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for reading coded information from an object. The system comprises one or more three-dimensional cameras configured such as to capture three-dimensional images of the object and a processor configured such as to process the captured three-dimensional images. The processor is designed to: identify planes upon which faces of the object lie; extract two-dimensional images that lie on the identified planes; and apply coded information recognition algorithms to at least part of the extracted two-dimensional images.

Abstract: Systems and methods to reduce the overlap areas of the fields of view of multiple cameras when reading symbols (e.g., barcode symbols, text) disposed on moving objects using an imaging system which includes an array of cameras. Each of a plurality of cameras may have a field of view directed toward objects positioned on a conveyor which moves the objects in a longitudinal direction, and the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras may overlap with the field of view of at least one other camera in the plurality of cameras in one or both of the longitudinal direction and a lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor for the recognition of images on surfaces of objects in relative motion with regard to the sensor, especially for reading optical codes and/or characters and/or symbols on a surface of an object, comprising a plurality of sensor lines, each adapted to render line images in a temporal sequence, wherein the sensor is arranged to combine a plurality of line images of said sensor lines to yield a line image of the sensor, wherein each of said plurality of line images was captured by a different one of said sensor lines and at least some of said plurality of line images were captured at different points in time. The invention also relates to a corresponding method for the recognition of an image on a surface of an object and to a system for the acquisition of images on a surface of a moving target, comprising a conveyor for carrying target objects and a sensor as described above.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are provided for identifying (recognizing) an object from its shape in a sequence of images utilizing sequence alignment matrices (SAMs). For a given image, an object is segmented and from the segmented object, a set of key points is extracted. From the extracted key points, a set of local feature descriptors, strictly related to the key points and uniquely ordered in sequence, are extracted. The feature sequence obtained from the segmented object is aligned with a counterpart or reference image (e.g., a model or another image) using a Sequence Alignment Matrix (SAM). A custom scoring technique for the alignment provides a quality index for the identification of the object.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a system for reading coded information from an object. The system comprises one or more three-dimensional cameras configured such as to capture three-dimensional images of the object and a processor configured such as to process the captured three-dimensional images. The processor is designed to: identify planes upon which faces of the object lie; extract two-dimensional images that lie on the identified planes; and apply coded information recognition algorithms to at least part of the extracted two-dimensional images.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are provided for identifying (recognizing) an object from its shape in a sequence of images utilizing sequence alignment matrices (SAMs). For a given image, an object is segmented and from the segmented object, a set of key points is extracted. From the extracted key points, a set of local feature descriptors, strictly related to the key points and uniquely ordered in sequence, are extracted. The feature sequence obtained from the segmented object is aligned with a counterpart or reference image (e.g., a model or another image) using a Sequence Alignment Matrix (SAM). A custom scoring technique for the alignment provides a quality index for the identification of the object.

Abstract: A system and method for processing a machine-readable code associated with an object moving relative to an imaging device may include imaging the machine readable code. A determination may be made as to whether image data of the machine-readable code is clipped along a leading edge of a first image frame. If the machine-readable code is determined to be clipped, (i) image data of the machine-readable code in the first image frame may be skipped, and (ii) image data contained in a subsequent image frame may be processed. Otherwise, if the code is not determined to be clipped, processing image data in the subsequent image frame may be skipped.

Abstract: Systems and methods to reduce the overlap areas of the fields of view of multiple cameras when reading symbols (e.g., barcode symbols, text) disposed on moving objects using an imaging system which includes an array of cameras. Each of a plurality of cameras may have a field of view directed toward objects positioned on a conveyor which moves the objects in a longitudinal direction, and the field of view of each of the plurality of cameras may overlap with the field of view of at least one other camera in the plurality of cameras in one or both of the longitudinal direction and a lateral direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A method of capturing an image on a surface of an object by line sensor(s), wherein consecutive line images are taken from a plurality of surfaces or surface portions having a different inclination to a given reference plane with a predetermined frequency during a relative movement of the object with regard to the line sensors(s) and a two-dimensional first image of the surfaces or surface portions is formed from these line images, includes resampling the two-dimensional first image so as to reduce the surface resolution of an image or of images of one or more surfaces or surface portions with regard to a direction oblique to the direction of the lines corresponding to consecutive line images taken by a line sensor in such a way that differences in the surface resolution of images of surfaces or surface portions with different inclination to the reference plane are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A method for image acquisition of an object in transit on a movable supporting surface includes detecting a presence signal of the object in a preset position, and at least one dimension and/or position signals, the signals being generated by at least one sensor arranged upstream of a linear camera; detecting a “trigger event” signal, generated on the basis of the presence signal, the linear camera starting to acquire an image on the basis of the “trigger event” signal; starting to acquire an image of the object, when the object has travelled a preset distance from the preset position, the distance being calculated by an advance sensor suitable for generating a signal comprising an electric pulse at each preset movement of the movable supporting surface; and setting a mode for image acquisition of the linear camera on the basis of a resolution of the advance sensor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sensor for the recognition of images on surfaces of objects in relative motion with regard to the sensor, especially for reading optical codes and/or characters and/or symbols on a surface of an object, comprising a plurality of sensor lines, each adapted to render line images in a temporal sequence, wherein the sensor is arranged to combine a plurality of line images of said sensor lines to yield a line image of the sensor, wherein each of said plurality of line images was captured by a different one of said sensor lines and at least some of said plurality of line images were captured at different points in time. The invention also relates to a corresponding method for the recognition of an image on a surface of an object and to a system for the acquisition of images on a surface of a moving target, comprising a conveyor for carrying target objects and a sensor as described above.

Abstract: A method of capturing an image on a surface of an object by line sensor(s), wherein consecutive line images are taken from a plurality of surfaces or surface portions having a different inclination to a given reference plane with a predetermined frequency during a relative movement of the object with regard to the line sensor(s) and a two-dimensional first image of the surfaces or surface portions is formed from these line images, includes resampling the two-dimensional first image so as to reduce the surface resolution of an image or of images of one or more surfaces or surface portions with regard to a direction oblique to the direction of the lines corresponding to consecutive line images taken by a line sensor in such a way that differences in the surface resolution of images of surfaces or surface portions with different inclination to the reference plane are reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A method for image acquisition of an object in transit on a movable supporting surface includes detecting a presence signal of the object in a preset position, and at least one dimension and/or position signals, the signals being generated by at least one sensor arranged upstream of a linear camera; detecting a “trigger event” signal, generated on the basis of the presence signal, the linear camera starting to acquire an image on the basis of the “trigger event” signal; starting to acquire an image of the object, when the object has travelled a preset distance from the preset position, the distance being calculated by an advance sensor suitable for generating a signal comprising an electric pulse at each preset movement of the movable supporting surface; and setting a mode for image acquisition of the linear camera on the basis of a resolution of the advance sensor.

Abstract: A system for image acquisition for acquiring images includes at least two optical devices for acquiring images, each optical device including a respective linear camera suitable for acquiring images from at least one object passing on a transporting plane, at least one lighting device associated with each of the at least two cameras and suitable for lighting the said object in regions of the object from which the images may be acquired, the lighting devices light the object with light pulses, the light pulses being synchronized so that light generated by the at least one lighting device associated with a camera does not interfere with the acquisition of another of the at least two cameras, the cameras acquiring the images only when the respective at least one lighting device is active.

Abstract: A fixed optical equipment for acquiring optical information associated with at least an object placed on a supporting plane is described, comprising a camera (10) having an array of photosensing elements (11) for acquiring an image of an acquisition zone on the supporting plane, characterized by comprising aiming means (30) suitable for generating a luminous aiming figure extended in at least a first direction having a predetermined geometric relationship with the view cone of the camera (10). Methods for its installation and for the diagnostic of its alignment are also described.

Abstract: A fixed optical equipment for acquiring optical information associated with at least an object placed on a supporting plane is described, comprising a camera (10) having an array of photosensing elements (11) for acquiring an image of an acquisition zone on the supporting plane, characterized by comprising aiming means (30) suitable for generating a luminous aiming figure extended in at least a first direction having a predetermined geometric relationship with the view cone of the camera (10). Methods for its installation and for the diagnostic of its alignment are also described.