Abstract: The invention relates to a holding apparatus for an optical measurement device. The holding apparatus has two holding units for two preferably telecentric optics units of the measurement device. Each holding unit has a first bearing device and a second bearing device. The two bearing devices are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of an optical axis of the optics unit. A three-point bearing by three bearing elements for the associated optics unit is provided on each bearing device. At least two of the bearing elements can be positioned along a relevant adjustment axis. The adjustment axes extend substantially at right angles to the relevant optical axis. The optics unit can thus be displaced in a plane spanned by the adjustment axes and can be inclined or tilted on account of the two bearing devices distanced from one another.

Abstract: A dynamic signal to noise ratio tracking system enables detection and tracking of amusement park equipment within the field of view of the tracking system. The tracking system may include an emitter configured to emit electromagnetic radiation within an area, a detector configured to detect electromagnetic radiation reflected back from vehicles within the area, and a control unit configured to evaluate signals from the detector to survey the amusement park equipment to determine whether the equipment has degraded or shifted.

Abstract: A sensor device for suppressing a magnetic stray field, having a semiconductor body with a surface, formed in an x-y plane, and a back surface. Each circle half of a disk-shaped magnet has two magnetic poles and the magnet is rotatable relative to the IC housing around a z-direction. An imaginary lengthening of the axis penetrates the magnet in the center of gravity of the main extension surface of the magnet. A first pixel cell and a second pixel cell are integrated into the surface of the semiconductor body together with a circuit arrangement, and each pixel cell has a first magnetic field sensor and a second magnetic field sensor. The first pixel cell is spaced apart from the second pixel cell along a connecting line, and the first pixel cell in a projection along an imaginary lengthening of the axis is arranged within the two inner circle segments.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods for analyzing the alignment of at least one wheel of a vehicle using a non-contact locating system. Systems can include a tie rod with a three-dimensional target that is used by a non-contact measuring instrument to determine the position of the target in three dimensional space. The target may be pyramidal in shape. The position of the target may be indicative of a desired wheel alignment.

Abstract: A threat detection system is disclosed. The threat detection system may also determine the location of the threat. The treat detection system may determine the threat attributes. The threat detection system may detect lasers.

Abstract: A portable electronic device having an input device for receiving a gesture based input from a user is used to control a navigation operation of an appliance. The portable electronic device receives via the input device the gesture based input and uses one or more parameters stored in a memory of the portable electronic device and one or more characteristics associated with the gesture based input to cause the portable electronic device to transmit a navigation step command to thereby control the navigation operation of the appliance.

Abstract: An object detection method includes, in turn, enabling a first light source, a second light source and a third light source to transmit a first light wave signal, a second light wave signal and a third light wave signal; in turn, receiving the first light wave signal, the second light wave signal and the third light wave signal reflected by an object to determine strengths of the first light wave signal, the second light wave signal and the third light wave signal, respectively; and determining a first displacement of the object along a first direction according to strength variances of the first light wave signal and the second light wave signal, and determining a second displacement of the object along a second direction according to strength variances of the first light wave signal and the third light wave signal, wherein the first direction is substantially perpendicular to the second direction.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing, a tip configured to move with respect to the housing based on contact pressure applied the tip, and a circuit. The circuit detects pressure applied on the tip based on movement of the tip. The circuit includes a variable current source configured to drive a sensor, a transimpedance amplifier (TIA) configured to receive current from the sensor and an analog to digital converter configured to sample output from the TIA.

Abstract: Provided are methods and systems for managing semiconductor manufacturing equipment. A method may include preventive maintenance involving steps of disassembling, cleaning, and assembling parts of a chamber. The assembling of the parts may include checking whether the parts are correctly assembled, using reflectance and absorptivity of a high-frequency voltage applied to the parts.

Abstract: Gradient index lenses, or GRIN lenses, are useful for collimating light from a waveguide and reducing loss when coupling two fibers or coupling the fiber to other optical components. There is provided herein a method to align a GRIN lens to the distal end of an optical fiber with precise lateral alignment. The alignment occurs by: (1) rotating the fiber with respect to the lens so that the fiber is parallel with the lens, such that a light is transmitted through the fiber and then through the lens, and (2) translating the fiber laterally with respect to the lens based on the position of a circle pattern that appears on the screen after the distal end of the lens. The transmitted light is centered in the circle pattern for centered alignment or positioned at calculate distance from the center of the circle pattern for off-axis alignment.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes: a light emitting unit that projects irradiation light to an object; a first lens that changes a divergence degree of the irradiation light; an aperture stop unit that stops down the irradiation light projected from the first lens; a second lens that condenses the irradiation light passing through the aperture stop unit and projects the irradiation light to the object in a first direction; a transmission unit that is provided in a focal plane of the second lens and transmits therethrough a part of reflected light; a first light receiving unit that includes a light receiving surface that receives the part of the reflected light transmitted through the transmission unit; and a measurement unit that measures a height of a surface of the object by using a position of the part of the reflected light on the light receiving surface.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for loading a railcar with crop material. A grain cart has a frame, ground wheels, a hitch assembly, a storage container and an auger assembly having a discharge end for removing particulate material from the storage container discharging it out the discharge end. A spout can be moveably connected to the discharge end of the auger. The method can include loading the storage container of the grain cart with crop material, maneuvering the grain cart adjacent to a railcar using a tow vehicle and discharging crop material from the storage container of the grain cart into the railcar using the auger assembly. A mobile computer or other processing device can be used to determine how much crop material is being loaded into the railcar during the loading by the grain cart.

Abstract: A device for assisting the aligning of a patient support dockable onto an operating table is provided A sensing unit is configured to be arranged on the patient support or the operating table and configured to sense a feature of the patient support and/or of the operating table, said feature lying opposite the sensing unit. The sensing unit configured to sense a position-dependent physical interaction and herefrom to generate a signal that depends on the spatial relative position between the patient support and the operating table. An evaluating unit is configured to receive the signal from the sensing unit and to generate an output that characterizes the relative position between the operating table and the patient support.

Abstract: The present invention relates to devices and methods for the qualitative and/or quantitative detection of particles. In particular, the invention relates to devices for the detection of particles, comprising a reaction chamber formed within a chamber body between a first surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface is located opposite to the first surface, and one or more displacers, wherein the distance between the first surface and the second surface is variable via the one or more displacers at least in one or more parts of the surface area of the first surface and/or second surface. The invention also relates to corresponding methods for the detection of particles.

Abstract: The general field of the invention is that of systems for detecting the posture of a moving object. The system may include a fixed electro-optical device of known orientation comprising an emission source, an image sensor and image analysis means, and an optical assembly comprising an optical retroreflector arranged on the moving object. The optical retroreflector of the system is an optical sphere of variable index comprising a transparent hemisphere and a reflecting hemisphere. It comprises a meshing comprising at least three opaque wires, of small thickness and known geometrical arrangement. The image of the retroreflector lit by the source forms a reflection on the image sensor, said reflection comprising at least the two images of the shadow of one of the three wires. The image analysis means detect the orientation of the leak line given by said images, said orientation being representative of one of the parameters of the posture of the moving object.

Abstract: A proximity sensing apparatus includes a device housing, a plurality of energy emitters, an energy detector, a reflective member, and a controller system. The proximity sensing apparatus channels reflected energy to the energy detector and determines the location of the source of reflection. The channeling of energy to the energy detector may reduce manufacturing costs by utilizing less hardware while maintaining a high level of reliability.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for aligning a cradle supported by a table in an imaging system with a gantry scan plane in a bore of the gantry. More particularly, various embodiments provide a laser alignment structure having at least two alignment apertures arranged along an axis of the bore, and an adjustment device configured to adjust a position of the laser so that the laser beam is aligned with the alignment apertures. Highly accurate alignment of the cradle to the gantry scan plane is achieved by utilizing this apparatus in tandem with an imaging-based alignment analysis method.

Abstract: Devices, methods and systems are provided for monitoring movement of an object, such as rotation of a blade or other airfoil. One exemplary tracking device includes a first emitter to emit first radiation along a first line of sight, a first detector proximate the first emitter to detect the first radiation, a second emitter to emit second radiation along a second line of sight, and a second detector proximate the second emitter to detect the second radiation.

Abstract: A method of finding a home reference distance of a 3D coordinate measurement device in which a mathematical adjustment is made to move the vertex point to the sphere center of a spherically mounted retroreflector (SMR).

Abstract: A method of determining the orientation of a grain structure of a turbine blade or vane using an optical technique, illuminates a surface with a beam from a light source and then manipulates the relative orientation of the surface, a light beam and detector to determine the relative orientation which provides the peak reflectance of the beam from the surface to the detector. Further surfaces of the component are similarly manipulated and illuminated and the orientation of the grain structure calculated from the determined relative peak reflectance orientations of the surface, first further surface and second further surface. Determination of the grain orientation allows the value of high angle boundaries to be determined. Also disclosed is apparatus suitable for performing the method.

Abstract: A method and system for optically inspecting the ends of a manufactured part at a single inspection station having a measurement axis are provided. The system includes a fixture assembly having a rotatable first fixturing component and a rotatable second fixturing component mating with and removably connected to the first fixturing component to transmit torque from the first fixturing component to the second fixturing component. The second fixturing component has a device for holding the part in a generally horizontal orientation and permit rotation of the horizontally held part between first and second angular positions about the measurement axis. The system also includes an actuator assembly, an illumination device, a lens and detector assembly and at least one processor to process electrical signals generated by the lens and detector assembly to determine at least one geometric dimension or any visual defects at the ends of the part.

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 system and method of aligning an accessory's aim point to an aim point of a device are disclosed. In one embodiment, an aim point that can be viewed through a weapon sight is projected from a device mounted on a weapon. Further, an accessory aim point is projected on the weapon sight by an accessory device that is mounted on the weapon in front of the weapon sight. Furthermore, the accessory aim point is pre-mission aligned to the aim point of the device by electronically adjusting a position of the accessory aim point to align with the aim point of the device on the weapon sight.

Abstract: A method includes receiving location data corresponding to a physical location of a user at a computing device and receiving prey data corresponding to a relative position of an animal at the computing device from a gun scope. The method further includes determining a location of the animal relative to the computing device based on the location data and the prey data.

Abstract: The subject matter of this invention is a device for measuring the contact angle of a liquid drop on a material surface. The shadow of a drop of a test liquid is projected onto a tilted shadow surface. An image of the drop on the shadow surface is recorded with an image recording device, and the contact angle is calculated from the image and the known angle of tilt of the shadow surface. A method that is suitable for this is likewise disclosed.

Abstract: A projector includes a light source, a light modulator having an image formation area to form an image, a projection system that projects the image on a display surface, an enclosure that holds at least the light modulator and the projection system, an inclination detection section that detects the inclination of the enclosure with respect to an axis along the optical axis of the projection system, and an image display control section that forms a reference line on the image formation area, the reference line having a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal line irrespective of the inclination of the enclosure, and the image display control section changes the inclination of the reference line with respect to the image formation area in accordance with the inclination of the enclosure in such a way that the reference line has the predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal line.

Abstract: A video photography system includes a video camera system and a background lighting system. The video camera system is configured to capture photographs of a subject positioned between the video camera system and a background. The background lighting system is configured to generate background lighting conditions on the background. The background lighting conditions include at least a first lighting condition and a second lighting condition.

Abstract: An optical monitoring device for an optical imaging system having a focal plane, an optical axis and an entry pupil, forming an image of a scene substantially at infinity on an image detector disposed substantially in the focal plane, comprises: a virtually point-like emission source at the periphery of the detector and substantially in the focal plane; a reflecting element with a plane surface upstream of the imaging system relative to the direction of light rays coming from the scene, and according to a position and inclination where a monitoring image of the source produced by the optical system and reflected by the reflecting element is substantially in the focal plane on a detection element connected to a monitoring image analyzer allowing potential optical defects to be identified; the reflecting element having an annular shape allowing passage of light rays coming from the scene and passing through the entry pupil.

Abstract: In embodiments of pixel opacity for augmented reality, a display lens system includes a first display panel that displays a virtual image generated to appear as part of an environment viewed through optical lenses. A second display panel displays an environment image of the environment as viewed through the optical lenses, and the environment image includes opaque pixels that form a black silhouette of the virtual image. The display lens system also includes a beam-splitter panel to transmit light of the environment image and reflect light of the virtual image to form a composite image that appears as the virtual image displayed over the opaque pixels of the environment image.

Abstract: An exterior light control system for controlling exterior lights of a controlled vehicle is provided, which includes an imager configured to image a scene external and forward of the controlled vehicle and to generate image data corresponding to the acquired images. A controller is configured to receive and analyze the image data and generate a control signal for controlling the exterior lights of the controlled vehicle. The controller is further configured to receive temperature information relating to an operational temperature of the imager, wherein when the controller determines that the operational temperature of the imager is below a temperature threshold, the control signal includes an indication that the imager is blocked.

Abstract: Brightness-by-column grayscale and spatial ?-? modulation grayscale allow grayscale patterns to be produced using a binary spatial light modulator as fast as the bright/dark switching speed.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a system and method for reviewing a curved edge of a sample. A line scan detector is actuated along an actuation path defined by the edge of the sample to scan a plurality of locations along the sample edge. The scan data is assembled to generate at least one review image of at least a portion of the edge of the sample. In some embodiments a substantially normal angle of incidence is maintained between the sample edge and the scanning illumination. In some embodiments, brightfield and darkfield images may be collected utilizing a common objective with separately operable illumination sources directing illumination along a first and second illumination path to the sample edge for review.

Abstract: Improved apparatus and methods for non-invasively assessing one or more parameters associated with systems such as fluidic circulating systems (e.g., the circulatory system of a living organism). In a first aspect, an improved method of continuously measuring pressure from a compressible vessel is disclosed, wherein a substantially optimal level of compression for the vessel is achieved and maintained using dynamically applied dither perturbations (e.g., modulation) on the various axes associated with the vessel. In a second aspect, an improved apparatus and method are provided for monitoring hemodynamic parameters, such as blood pressure, in a continuous and non-invasive manner while operating under a single unifying scheme. One variant of this scheme using a simulated annealing (SA) type approach to determining and maintaining an optimal operating state.

Abstract: Provided is a measurement device including a light source that sequentially emits plural beams of light which are respectively incident on an object and of which optical axes are parallel or substantially parallel to each other, a condensing optical system that condenses the plural beams of light reflected from the object or the plural beams of light transmitted through the object, a light receiving unit, a light receiving surface of which is placed on a back focal plane of the condensing optical system, and that outputs a distribution or a center position of an intensity of light received in the light receiving surface, and a measurement unit that measures at least one of an angle and an angle distribution of a surface of the object, based on an output value output from the light receiving unit for each light applied to the object from the light source.

Abstract: A device for measuring and optionally correcting the angular offset of two shafts which are connected to one another by way of two universal joints and a third shaft calls for the measurement heads of an optoelectronic alignment device to be adjustably arranged on the shafts by means of at least one pivot joint on one of the clamping devices, with an adjustment capacity. A pertinent method contains matching of the orientation of the measurement heads of the optoelectronic alignment device on the shafts in at least two measurement positions by adjusting the pivot joint.

Abstract: A laser-leveling device having a at least one radiation module and mounting module, where laser radiation sources and the prisms for developing planes from the laser beams are combined in the radiation module. The radiation module with housing contains a device for horizontal fine adjustment, an additional power supply with control, and an additional self-leveling support plate for receiving the laser radiation sources and prisms for developing the planes from the laser beams The mounting module with housing contains a self-leveling support plate, power supply with control, and a mount for securing to a tripod. The housing of the at least one radiation module and the housing of the mounting module are embodied such that the radiation module can be coupled to the mounting module, and it is possible to connect at least one additional radiation module.

Abstract: A method includes receiving location data corresponding to a physical location of a user at a computing device and receiving prey data corresponding to a relative position of an animal at the computing device from a gun scope. The method further includes determining a location of the animal relative to the computing device based on the location data and the prey data.

Abstract: Of two pairs of biaxial goniometers and a uniaxial straight-ahead stage, one pair of biaxial goniometers and the uniaxial straight-ahead stage are subjected to fully-closed feedback control (follow-up control) under which output from a QPD is directly input into an axis drive motor, and the remaining pair of biaxial goniometers are subjected to semi-closed feedback control (constant-value control), encoder outputs on all the axes and QPD output are acquired simultaneously, measurement point coordinates and normal vectors derived from the encoder outputs are corrected with the QPD output, thereby eliminating influence of steady-state deviation in a goniometer control system.

Abstract: A navigation system for a robotic mower includes a boundary wire defining a boundary of a specified area; a boundary sensor assembly, and a vehicle control unit with a navigation arbitration logic configured to arbitrate a selection between at least a straight propagation mode and an arc propagation mode. The navigation arbitration module is configured to select the arc propagation mode when the sensor assembly indicates that the mower approaches the boundary of the specified area and has a distance from the boundary that is equal to or smaller than a specified turn distance. The boundary sensor assembly generates a sensor signal representative of a measured yaw angle of the mower relative to the boundary wire, and the navigation arbitration logic is configured to generate output information representative of a desired yaw angle dependent on an assumed actual yaw angle.

Abstract: An axis deviation detecting device includes: a first axis deviation detecting unit which detects a value of a translational deviation along a horizontal axis of a projector device and a value of a rotational deviation about a vertical axis of the projector device, using (i) a horizontal component of a first positional difference between the first target point and the first projection point on a first projection screen and (ii) a horizontal component of a second positional difference between the second target point and the second projection point on a second projection screen; and a second axis deviation detecting unit which detects a value of a translational deviation along the vertical axis and a value of a rotational deviation about the horizontal axis, using (i) a vertical component of the first positional difference and (ii) a vertical component of the second positional difference.

Abstract: A light section sensor for providing an output of a digital output coordinate has an illuminating device for projecting a light line onto a measured object and an electronic camera for detecting the projected light line on the measured object. A processing device determines at least one measured coordinate in a measured coordinate system on the basis of the light line detected. A coordinate transformation device transforms the measured coordinates from the measured coordinate system into the output coordinates in an output coordinate system by a coordinate transformation. A slope angle determination device determines the slope angle of the light section sensor in relation to a flat surface of the measured object.

Abstract: Various gun sights and related methods are provided. In one embodiment, a gun sight includes a light source adapted to project light, a user-viewable interface, and an optical element. The optical element includes a first surface adapted to pass the light to provide a reticle at the user-viewable interface. The optical element also includes a second surface adapted to refract the light to provide a light guide at a peripheral area of the user-viewable interface to aid a user to substantially align the user's eye with the reticle. Various mechanisms for aligning gun sights, attaching gun sights, related methods, and other embodiments are also provided.

Abstract: Automated autocollimation provides alignment of a telescope of a surveying instrument. The telescope defines an optical axis perpendicular to a reflective surface of an autocollimation target, such as a coated plane mirror. Alignment is performed by a method that includes aligning the telescope with the autocollimation target and illuminating a reticle in the telescope. The telescope is focused on infinite. The autocollimation target and the illuminated reticle reflected by the reflective surface, or the illuminated reticle, are acquired using an image acquisition device in the telescope or a second telescope. The reticle center in the image is determined. The horizontal and vertical distances of the reticle center are determined from the optical axis of the telescope in the image. The horizontal and vertical distances of the reticle center are converted into horizontal and vertical aberration angles of the current alignment of the telescope from the autocollimation alignment of the telescope.

Abstract: A system and a method for determining a position and an orientation of an object relative to a defined reference frame is disclosed. A plurality of targets are disposed at known locations relative to the defined reference frame. A head assembly is disposed on the object, where the head assembly includes a plurality of cameras. The head assembly determines the position and the orientation of the object from location data associated with the plurality of targets and image data from the plurality of cameras.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for capturing the rotary position (D) of at least one rotary device (4) provided for receiving a container (3) by means of at least one sensor unit (5), wherein the rotary device (4) is provided for driving the container (3) about a rotary axis (DA), and the at least one sensor unit (5) is advantageously designed for non-contact capturing of the rotary position (D) of the rotary device (4) relative to the rotary axis (DA).

Abstract: A laser alignment apparatus includes a central compartment, a plurality of laser modules, a power supply cord, and a ceiling attachment system. Each of the plurality of laser modules is connected around the central compartment through a rod end bearing of the plurality of laser modules, where a bearing ring of the rod end bearing allows users to pivot, rotate, and tilt a laser device of each of the plurality of laser modules. The power supply cord provides the necessary power to the laser device of each of the plurality of laser modules from an external power source. The ceiling attachment system secures the central compartment with the connected plurality of laser modules to an existing ceiling. The laser device of each of the plurality of laser modules can be activated for alignment purpose within a screen printing machine or any other machines that required precise alignments.

Abstract: A method of determining the orientation of a grain structure of a turbine blade or vane using an optical technique, illuminates a surface with a beam from a light source and then manipulates the relative orientation of the surface, a light beam and detector to determine the relative orientation which provides the peak reflectance of the beam from the surface to the detector. Further surfaces of the component are similarly manipulated and illuminated and the orientation of the grain structure calculated from the determined relative peak reflectance orientations of the surface, first further surface and second further surface. Determination of the grain orientation allows the value of high angle boundaries to be determined. Also disclosed is apparatus suitable for performing the method.

Abstract: A reference system configured in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a light-emitting device having a first light emitter, a second light emitter, and a housing. The housing includes a base operably connected to the first and second light emitters. The first light emitter is configured to emit a planar light region having a vertical orientation. The second light emitter is configured to emit an indicator light beam. A slope of the indicator light beam is adjustable to change a position of the indicator light beam within a vertical adjustment field. The system further includes a controller configured to cause the first and second light emitters to rotate in concert relative to the base about a vertical axis so as to rotationally reposition the planar light region and the indicator light beam in response to a detected misalignment of the planar light region.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for calibrating a sensor cluster located at an inside of a windshield of a motor vehicle and arranged such that the pitch thereof is adjustable. The sensor cluster may include a narrow beam sensor and an imaging sensor, both of which are directed forward of the motor vehicle. An angle gamma (?) between center directions of the narrow beam sensor and the imaging sensor has been pre-calibrated and stored in at least one memory unit. The method may include calibrating at least one of the narrow beam sensor and the imaging sensor with respect to a geometrical travel axis of the vehicle, recording a measure epsilon (?) corresponding to an angle between the center direction of the imaging sensor and a reference provided by a fixed vehicle structural part, and storing the recorded measure epsilon (?) in the at least one memory unit.

Abstract: A method and a system of detecting a tilt angle of an object surface and a method and a system of compensating the same are provided. The detecting method includes the following steps. Light beams are projected by a light source device to the object surface. An image of the object surface is captured so as to obtain light spots on the object surface. A focus program is executed by adjusting a vertical distance between the light source device and the object surface, so as to gather the light spots in a focal point on the object surface. The vertical distance is adjusted, and a correction angle between the light beams and the object surface is calculated according to the light spots.