Abstract: Described are methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products for determining the presence of an object on a target surface. A machine vision system includes a first image capture device configured to image a first portion of a target surface from a first viewpoint and a second image capture device configured to image a second portion of the target surface from a second viewpoint. The machine vision system is configured to acquire a first image from the first image capture device, a second image from the second image capture device, rectify the first image and second image, retrieve a disparity field, generate difference data by comparing, based on the mappings of the disparity field, image elements in the first rectified image and a second image elements in the second rectified image; and determine whether the difference data is indicative of an object on the target surface.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for generating camera calibrations for a vision system camera along three discrete planes in a 3D volume space that uses at least two (e.g. parallel) object planes at different known heights. For any third (e.g. parallel) plane of a specified height, the system and method then automatically generates calibration data for the camera by interpolating/extrapolating from the first two calibrations. This alleviates the need to set the calibration object at more than two heights, speeding the calibration process and simplifying the user's calibration setup, and also allowing interpolation/extrapolation to heights that are space-constrained, and not readily accessible by a calibration object. The calibration plate can be calibrated at each height using a full 2D hand-eye calibration, or using a hand-eye calibration at the first height and then at a second height with translation to a known position along the height (e.g. Z) direction.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for training and performing runtime 3D pose determination of an object using a plurality of camera assemblies in a 3D vision system. The cameras are arranged at different orientations with respect to a scene, so as to acquire contemporaneous images of an object, both at training and runtime. Each of the camera assemblies includes a non-perspective lens that acquires a respective non-perspective image for use in the process. The searched object features in one of the acquired non-perspective image can be used to define the expected location of object features in the second (or subsequent) non-perspective images based upon an affine transform, which is computed based upon at least a subset of the intrinsics and extrinsics of each camera. The locations of features in the second, and subsequent, non-perspective images can be refined by searching within the expected location of those images.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for machine vision. A machine vision system includes a motion rendering device, a first image sensor, and a second image sensor. The machine visions system includes a processor configured to run a computer program stored in memory that is configured to determine a first transformation that allows mapping between the first coordinate system associated with the motion rendering device and the second coordinate system associated with the first image sensor, and to determine a second transformation that allows mapping between the first coordinate system associated with the motion rendering device and the third coordinate system associated with the second image sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for machine vision. A machine vision system includes a motion rendering device, a first image sensor, and a second image sensor. The machine visions system includes a processor configured to run a computer program stored in memory that is configured to determine a first transformation that allows mapping between the first coordinate system associated with the motion rendering device and the second coordinate system associated with the first image sensor, and to determine a second transformation that allows mapping between the first coordinate system associated with the motion rendering device and the third coordinate system associated with the second image sensor.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method that ties the coordinate spaces at the two locations together during calibration time using features on a runtime workpiece instead of a calibration target. Three possible scenarios are contemplated: wherein the same workpiece features are imaged and identified at both locations; wherein the imaged features of the runtime workpiece differ at each location (with a CAD or measured workpiece rendition available); and wherein the first location containing a motion stage has been calibrated to the motion stage using hand-eye calibration and the second location is hand-eye calibrated to the same motion stage by transferring the runtime part back and forth between locations. Illustratively, the quality of the first two techniques can be improved by running multiple runtime workpieces each with a different pose, extracting and accumulating such features at each location; and then using the accumulated features to tie the two coordinate spaces.

Abstract: Described are methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products for determining the presence of an object on a target surface. A machine vision system includes a first image capture device configured to image a first portion of a target surface from a first viewpoint and a second image capture device configured to image a second portion of the target surface from a second viewpoint. The machine vision system is configured to acquire a first image from the first image capture device, a second image from the second image capture device, rectify the first image and second image, retrieve a disparity field, generate difference data by comparing, based on the mappings of the disparity field, image elements in the first rectified image and a second image elements in the second rectified image; and determine whether the difference data is indicative of an object on the target surface.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for generating camera calibrations for a vision system camera along three discrete planes in a 3D volume space that uses at least two (e.g. parallel) object planes at different known heights. For any third (e.g. parallel) plane of a specified height, the system and method then automatically generates calibration data for the camera by interpolating/extrapolating from the first two calibrations. This alleviates the need to set the calibration object at more than two heights, speeding the calibration process and simplifying the user's calibration setup, and also allowing interpolation/extrapolation to heights that are space-constrained, and not readily accessible by a calibration object. The calibration plate can be calibrated at each height using a full 2D hand-eye calibration, or using a hand-eye calibration at the first height and then at a second height with translation to a known position along the height (e.g. Z) direction.

Abstract: Described are machine vision systems and methods for simultaneous kinematic and hand-eye calibration. A machine vision system includes a robot and a 3D sensor in communication with a control system. The control system is configured to move the robot to poses, and for each pose: capture a 3D image of calibration target features and robot joint angles. The control system is configured to obtain initial values for robot calibration parameters, and determine initial values for hand-eye calibration parameters based on the initial values for the robot calibration parameters, the 3D image, and joint angles. The control system is configured to determine final values for the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot calibration parameters by refining the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot calibration parameters to minimize a cost function.

Abstract: Described are methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products for determining the presence of an object on a target surface. A machine vision system includes a first image capture device configured to image a first portion of a target surface from a first viewpoint and a second image capture device configured to image a second portion of the target surface from a second viewpoint. The machine vision system is configured to acquire a first image from the first image capture device, a second image from the second image capture device, rectify the first image and second image, retrieve a disparity field, generate difference data by comparing, based on the mappings of the disparity field, image elements in the first rectified image and a second image elements in the second rectified image; and determine whether the difference data is indicative of an object on the target surface.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for generating camera calibrations for a vision system camera along three discrete planes in a 3D volume space that uses at least two (e.g. parallel) object planes at different known heights. For any third (e.g. parallel) plane of a specified height, the system and method then automatically generates calibration data for the camera by interpolating/extrapolating from the first two calibrations. This alleviates the need to set the calibration object at more than two heights, speeding the calibration process and simplifying the user's calibration setup, and also allowing interpolation/extrapolation to heights that are space-constrained, and not readily accessible by a calibration object. The calibration plate can be calibrated at each height using a full 2D hand-eye calibration, or using a hand-eye calibration at the first height and then at a second height with translation to a known position along the height (e.g. Z) direction.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method that ties the coordinate spaces at the two locations together during calibration time using features on a runtime workpiece instead of a calibration target. Three possible scenarios are contemplated: wherein the same workpiece features are imaged and identified at both locations; wherein the imaged features of the runtime workpiece differ at each location (with a CAD or measured workpiece rendition available); and wherein the first location containing a motion stage has been calibrated to the motion stage using hand-eye calibration and the second location is hand-eye calibrated to the same motion stage by transferring the runtime part back and forth between locations. Illustratively, the quality of the first two techniques can be improved by running multiple runtime workpieces each with a different pose, extracting and accumulating such features at each location; and then using the accumulated features to tie the two coordinate spaces.

Abstract: Described are machine vision systems and methods for simultaneous kinematic and hand-eye calibration. A machine vision system includes a robot and a 3D sensor in communication with a control system. The control system is configured to move the robot to poses, and for each pose: capture a 3D image of calibration target features and robot joint angles. The control system is configured to obtain initial values for robot calibration parameters, and determine initial values for hand-eye calibration parameters based on the initial values for the robot calibration parameters, the 3D image, and joint angles. The control system is configured to determine final values for the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot calibration parameters by refining the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot calibration parameters to minimize a cost function.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method that ties the coordinate spaces at the two locations together during calibration time using features on a runtime workpiece instead of a calibration target. Three possible scenarios are contemplated: wherein the same workpiece features are imaged and identified at both locations; wherein the imaged features of the runtime workpiece differ at each location (with a CAD or measured workpiece rendition available); and wherein the first location containing a motion stage has been calibrated to the motion stage using hand-eye calibration and the second location is hand-eye calibrated to the same motion stage by transferring the runtime part back and forth between locations. Illustratively, the quality of the first two techniques can be improved by running multiple runtime workpieces each with a different pose, extracting and accumulating such features at each location; and then using the accumulated features to tie the two coordinate spaces.

Abstract: Described are methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products for determining the presence of an object on a target surface. A machine vision system includes a first image capture device configured to image a first portion of a target surface from a first viewpoint and a second image capture device configured to image a second portion of the target surface from a second viewpoint. The machine vision system is configured to acquire a first image from the first image capture device, a second image from the second image capture device, rectify the first image and second image, retrieve a disparity field, generate difference data by comparing, based on the mappings of the disparity field, image elements in the first rectified image and a second image elements in the second rectified image; and determine whether the difference data is indicative of an object on the target surface.

Abstract: Described are machine vision systems and methods for simultaneous kinematic and hand-eye calibration. A machine vision system includes a robot or motion stage and a camera in communication with a control system. The control system is configured to move the robot or motion stage to poses, and for each pose: capture an image of calibration target features and robot joint angles or motion stage encoder counts. The control system is configured to obtain initial values for robot or motion stage calibration parameters, and determine initial values for hand-eye calibration parameters based on the initial values for the robot or motion stage calibration parameters, the image, and joint angles or encoder counts. The control system is configured to determine final values for the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot or motion stage calibration parameters by refining the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot or motion stage calibration parameters to minimize a cost function.

Abstract: Described are methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products for finding correspondences of one or more parts in a camera image of two or more cameras. For a first part in a first camera image of a first camera, a first 3D ray that is a first back-projection of a first feature coordinate of the first part in the first camera image to a 3D physical space is calculated. For a second part in a second camera image of a second camera, a second 3D ray that is a second back-projection of a second feature coordinate of the second part in the second camera image to the 3D physical space is calculated, wherein the first feature coordinate and the second feature coordinate correspond to a first feature as identified in a model. A first distance between the first 3D ray and the second 3D ray is calculated.

Abstract: Described are machine vision systems and methods for simultaneous kinematic and hand-eye calibration. A machine vision system includes a robot or motion stage and a camera in communication with a control system. The control system is configured to move the robot or motion stage to poses, and for each pose: capture an image of calibration target features and robot joint angles or motion stage encoder counts. The control system is configured to obtain initial values for robot or motion stage calibration parameters, and determine initial values for hand-eye calibration parameters based on the initial values for the robot or motion stage calibration parameters, the image, and joint angles or encoder counts. The control system is configured to determine final values for the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot or motion stage calibration parameters by refining the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot or motion stage calibration parameters to minimize a cost function.

Abstract: Described are methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program products for determining the presence of an object on a target surface. A machine vision system includes a first image capture device configured to image a first portion of a target surface from a first viewpoint and a second image capture device configured to image a second portion of the target surface from a second viewpoint. The machine vision system is configured to acquire a first image from the first image capture device, a second image from the second image capture device, rectify the first image and second image, retrieve a disparity field, generate difference data by comparing, based on the mappings of the disparity field, image elements in the first rectified image and a second image elements in the second rectified image; and determine whether the difference data is indicative of an object on the target surface.

Abstract: Described are machine vision systems and methods for simultaneous kinematic and hand-eye calibration. A machine vision system includes a robot or motion stage and a camera in communication with a control system. The control system is configured to move the robot or motion stage to poses, and for each pose: capture an image of calibration target features and robot joint angles or motion stage encoder counts. The control system is configured to obtain initial values for robot or motion stage calibration parameters, and determine initial values for hand-eye calibration parameters based on the initial values for the robot or motion stage calibration parameters, the image, and joint angles or encoder counts. The control system is configured to determine final values for the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot or motion stage calibration parameters by refining the hand-eye calibration parameters and robot or motion stage calibration parameters to minimize a cost function.