Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling a laser tracker remotely from the laser tracker through gestures performed by a user. The method includes providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of user gestures. A gesture is performed by the user with the user's body that corresponds to one of the plurality of user gestures. The gesture performed by the user is detected. The gesture recognition engine determines a first command from one of the plurality of commands that correspond with the detected gesture. Then the first command is executed with the laser tracker.

Abstract: A spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) having a reference point placed on a body of the SMR in a fixed and predetermined relationship to a runout error vector as given in a manufacturer's data sheet. A method for aligning the reference point to minimize measurement error.

Abstract: A spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) having an embedded temperature sensor and a socket for attaching to an electrical connector.

Abstract: A method uses a two-dimensional (2D) camera in two different positions to provide first and second 2D images having three common cardinal points. It further uses a three-dimensional (3D) measuring device to measure two 3D coordinates. The first and second 2D images and the two 3D coordinates are combined to obtain a scaled 3D image.

Abstract: A method for measuring a distance includes modulating the light beam at a first frequency, receiving a second beam by the optical detector to produce a first electrical signal having the first frequency and a first phase; modulating the light beam at a second frequency different than the first frequency; receiving the second beam by the optical detector to produce a second electrical signal having the second frequency and a second. After these steps, the retroreflector is moved while modulating the light beam continuously at the second frequency; and a first distance to the retroreflector is determined based at least in part on a the first and second frequencies and phases.

Abstract: A method for measuring a spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR) with a 3D coordinate measurement device placed on a kinematic nest, the method accounting for the radius of the SMR.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling a laser tracker remotely from the laser tracker through gestures performed by a user. The method includes providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of user gestures. A gesture is performed by the user with the user's body that corresponds to one of the plurality of user gestures. The gesture performed by the user is detected. The gesture recognition engine determines a first command from one of the plurality of commands that correspond with the detected gesture. Then the first command is executed with the laser tracker.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for controlling a laser tracker remotely from the laser tracker through gestures performed by a user. The method includes providing a rule of correspondence between each of a plurality of commands and each of a plurality of user gestures. A gesture is performed by the user with the user's body that corresponds to one of the plurality of user gestures. The gesture performed by the user is detected. The gesture recognition engine determines a first command from one of the plurality of commands that correspond with the detected gesture. Then the first command is executed with the laser tracker.

Abstract: A program storage device having instructions that cause a programmable control device to obtain a two-dimensional (2D) image of markings on a retroreflector, determine a 2D mathematical representation of the markings on the retroreflector, extract a first collection of 2D coordinates from the 2D mathematical representation and a corresponding second collection of 2D coordinates from the 2D image of markings, determine a figure of merit, and adjust guess values for three orientation angles of the retroreflector to improve the figure of merit.

Abstract: A device including a zoom-camera assembly having a first lens group, a magnifier lens group, a beam splitter, an imaging sensor, a motor, and an illuminator, the illuminator generating a first beam of light and cooperating with the beam splitter to send the beam of light through the first lens group to a retroreflector, the first lens group receiving the second beam of light and cooperating with the beam splitter to pass the received second beam of light through the magnifier lens group onto the imaging sensor, the motor adjusting a spacing between the first lens group and the magnifier lens group.

Abstract: A 3D coordinate measuring system includes a six-DOF unit having a unit frame of reference and including a structure, a retroreflector, a triangulation scanner, and an augmented reality (AR) color camera. The retroreflector, scanner and AR camera are attached to the structure. The scanner includes a first camera configured to form a first image of the pattern of light projected onto the object by a projector. The first camera and projector configured to cooperate to determine first 3D coordinates of a point on the object in the unit frame of reference, the determination based at least in part on the projected pattern of light and the first image. The system also includes a coordinate measuring device having a device frame of reference and configured to measure a pose of the retroreflector in the device frame of reference, the measured pose including measurements of six degrees-of-freedom of the retroreflector.

Abstract: A laser scanner that determines three-dimensional points in an environment further includes a spectrometer for determining the wavelength spectrum of chemical substances in the environment.

Abstract: A method of combining 2D images into a 3D image includes providing a coordinate measurement device and a six-DOF probe having an integral camera associated therewith, the six-DOF probe being separate from the coordinate measurement device. In a first instance, the coordinate measurement device determines the position and orientation of the six-DOF probe and the integral camera captures a first 2D image. In a second instance, the six-DOF probe is moved, the coordinate measurement device determines the position and orientation of the six-DOF probe, and the integral camera captures a second 2D image. A cardinal point common to the first and second image is found and is used, together with the first and second images and the positions and orientations of the six-DOF probe in the first and second instances, to create the 3D image.

Abstract: A device is provided that includes a housing and a first motor. The first motor rotates about a first axis. A second motor is coupled to rotate the housing, the second motor rotating about a second axis. A device frame of reference is defined by the first and second axis. A mirror is rotated about the first axis by the first motor. A first and second angle measuring devices measure a first and second angle of rotation. A 3D time-of-flight camera is arranged within the housing coaxially with the first axis. The camera acquires an image of an object reflected from the mirror. A processor determines at least one first 3D coordinate of at least one point on the object, the first 3D coordinate based at least in part on the image acquired by the camera, the first angle of rotation, and the second angle of rotation.

Abstract: A length artifact has a first side wall, a second side wall, and a base portion, the first side wall and the second side wall separated by an air gap at least four millimeters wide, the base portion being attached to a bottom of the first side wall and the second side wall, the base portion further having a first platform region that includes a first nest and a second platform region that includes a second nest, the first nest and the second nest configured to accept a spherical surface of a retroreflector target.

Abstract: A method of measuring surface sets on an object surface with a coordinate measurement device and a target scanner, includes providing the scanner having a body, a first retroreflector incorporating a pattern, a projector, a camera, and a processor, providing the device, selecting the source pattern of light; projecting the source pattern of light onto the object to produce the object pattern of light; imaging the object pattern of light onto the photosensitive array to obtain the image pattern of light; obtaining the pixel digital values for the image pattern of light; sending the first beam of light from the device to the first retroreflector; receiving the second beam of light from the first retroreflector; measuring the orientational and translational sets based at least in part on the second beam of light; determining the surface sets corresponding to the plurality of collinear pattern elements; and saving the surface sets.

Abstract: In a device for optically scanning and measuring an environment, where the device is a laser scanner having a light emitter which, by a rotary mirror, emits an emission light beam, with a light receiver which receives a reception light beam, which, after passing the rotary mirror and a receiver lens which has an optical axis, is reflected from an object in the environment of the laser scanner. The laser scanner also includes a color camera which takes colored pictures of the environment of the laser scanner, and a control and evaluation unit which, for a multitude of measuring points, determines the distance to the object and links it with the colored pictures, the color camera being arranged on the optical axis of the receiver lens.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for correcting errors in a bearing cartridge used in a portable articulated arm coordinate measurement machine (AACMM) is provided. The method includes providing a cartridge having a first bearing and a second bearing arranged in a fixed relationship to define an axis, the cartridge further including an angle measurement device configured to measure a rotation of a portion of the cartridge about the axis. A plurality of angles is measured with the angle measurement device. A first plurality of displacements is determined at a first position along the axis, each of the first plurality of displacements being associated with one of the plurality of angles. Compensation values are determined based at least in part on the plurality of angles and the first plurality of displacements.

Abstract: A retroreflector includes a glass prism having three mutually perpendicular planar reflecting faces and a front face, the three reflecting faces intersecting in intersecting lines each having a mark, the front surface including three marks, each of the marks on the intersecting lines and the front surface having a different angle in a 2D image obtained a camera for any angle of an optical axis of the camera from 0 to 45 degree relative to a vector normal of the front face.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the three dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of an object. The method includes providing a structured light scanner and a coordinate measurement device. The coordinate measurement device tracks the location and orientation of the structured light scanner during operation. The location and orientation data is combined with image frames captured by the scanner to allow registration of the image frames relative to each other. The three-dimensional coordinates of points on the surface of the object may then be determined in the frame of reference of the coordinate measurement device.