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At least 145 records · Page 8

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NASA NTRS1993

Performance measures from the explorer platform berthing experiment

The Explorer Platform is a Modular Mission Spacecraft: it has several subunits that are designed to be replaced on orbit. The Goddard Space Flight Center Robotics Lab undertook an experiment to evaluate various robotic approaches to replacing one of the units; a large (approximately 1 meter by 1 meter by 0.5 meter) power box. The hardware consists of a Robotics Research Corporation K-1607 (RRC) manipulator mounted on a large gantry robot, a Kraft handcontroller for teleoperation of RRC, a Lightweight Servicing Tool (LST) mounted on the RRC, and an Explorer Platform mockup (EP) with a removable box (MMS) that has fixtures that mate with the LST. Sensors include a wrist wrench sensor on the RRC and Capaciflectors mounted on the LST and the MMS. There are also several cameras, but no machine vision is used. The control system for the RRC is entirely written by Goddard; it consists of Ada code on three Multibus I 386/387 CPU boards doing the real-time robot control, and C on a 386 PC processing Capaciflector data. The gantry is not moved during this experiment. The task is the exchange of the MMS; it is removed and replaced. This involves four basic steps: mating the LST to the MMS, demating the MMS from the EP, mating the MMS to the EP, and demating the LST form the MMS. Each of the mating steps must be preceeded by an alignment to bring the mechanical fixtures within their capture range. Two basic approaches to alignment are explored: teleoperation with the operator viewing thru cameras, and Capaciflector based autonomy. To evaluate the two alignment approaches, several runs were run with each approach and the final pose was recorded. Comparing this to the ideal alignment pose gives accuracy and repeatability data. In addition the wrenches exerted during the mating tasks were recorded; this gives information on how the alignment step affects the mating step. There are also two approaches to mating; teleoperation, and impedance based autonomy. The wrench data taken during mating using these two approaches is used to evaluate them. Section 2 describes the alignment results, section 3 describes the mating results, and finally Section 4 gives some conclusions.

Leake, Stephen↗

NASA NTRS1994

A new high-speed IR camera system

A multi-organizational team at the Goddard Space Flight Center is developing a new far infrared (FIR) camera system which furthers the state of the art for this type of instrument by the incorporating recent advances in several technological disciplines. All aspects of the camera system are optimized for operation at the high data rates required for astronomical observations in the far infrared. The instrument is built around a Blocked Impurity Band (BIB) detector array which exhibits responsivity over a broad wavelength band and which is capable of operating at 1000 frames/sec, and consists of a focal plane dewar, a compact camera head electronics package, and a Digital Signal Processor (DSP)-based data system residing in a standard 486 personal computer. In this paper we discuss the overall system architecture, the focal plane dewar, and advanced features and design considerations for the electronics. This system, or one derived from it, may prove useful for many commercial and/or industrial infrared imaging or spectroscopic applications, including thermal machine vision for robotic manufacturing, photographic observation of short-duration thermal events such as combustion or chemical reactions, and high-resolution surveillance imaging.

Travis, Jeffrey W.↗

NASA NTRS1994

The 4-D approach to visual control of autonomous systems

Development of a 4-D approach to dynamic machine vision is described. Core elements of this method are spatio-temporal models oriented towards objects and laws of perspective projection in a foward mode. Integration of multi-sensory measurement data was achieved through spatio-temporal models as invariants for object recognition. Situation assessment and long term predictions were allowed through maintenance of a symbolic 4-D image of processes involving objects. Behavioral capabilities were easily realized by state feedback and feed-foward control.

Dickmanns, Ernst D.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Topography from shading and stereo

Methods exploiting photometric information in images that have been developed in machine vision can be applied to planetary imagery. Integrating shape from shading, binocular stereo, and photometric stereo yields a robust system for recovering detailed surface shape and surface reflectance information. Such a system is useful in producing quantitative information from the vast volume of imagery being received, as well as in helping visualize the underlying surface.

Horn, Berthold K. P.↗

NASA NTRS1994

Document analysis with neural net circuits

Document analysis is one of the main applications of machine vision today and offers great opportunities for neural net circuits. Despite more and more data processing with computers, the number of paper documents is still increasing rapidly. A fast translation of data from paper into electronic format is needed almost everywhere, and when done manually, this is a time consuming process. Markets range from small scanners for personal use to high-volume document analysis systems, such as address readers for the postal service or check processing systems for banks. A major concern with present systems is the accuracy of the automatic interpretation. Today's algorithms fail miserably when noise is present, when print quality is poor, or when the layout is complex. A common approach to circumvent these problems is to restrict the variations of the documents handled by a system. In our laboratory, we had the best luck with circuits implementing basic functions, such as convolutions, that can be used in many different algorithms. To illustrate the flexibility of this approach, three applications of the NET32K circuit are described in this short viewgraph presentation: locating address blocks, cleaning document images by removing noise, and locating areas of interest in personal checks to improve image compression. Several of the ideas realized in this circuit that were inspired by neural nets, such as analog computation with a low resolution, resulted in a chip that is well suited for real-world document analysis applications and that compares favorably with alternative, 'conventional' circuits.

Graf, Hans Peter↗

NASA NTRS1993

Topography from shading and stereo

Methods exploiting photometric information in images that have been developed in machine vision can be applied to planetary imagery. Present techniques, however, focus on one visual cue, such as shading or binocular stereo, and produce results that are either not very accurate in an absolute sense or provide information only at few points on the surface. We plan to integrate shape from shading, binocular stereo and photometric stereo to yield a robust system for recovering detailed surface shape and surface reflectance information. Such a system will be useful in producing quantitative information from the vast volume of imagery being received, as well as in helping visualize the underlying surface. The work will be carried out on a popular computing platform so that it will be easily accessible to other workers.

Horn, Berthold P.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Verification Test of Automated Robotic Assembly of Space Truss Structures

A multidisciplinary program has been conducted at the Langley Research Center to develop operational procedures for supervised autonomous assembly of truss structures suitable for large-aperture antennas. The hardware and operations required to assemble a 102-member tetrahedral truss and attach 12 hexagonal panels were developed and evaluated. A brute-force automation approach was used to develop baseline assembly hardware and software techniques. However, as the system matured and operations were proven, upgrades were incorporated and assessed against the baseline test results. These upgrades included the use of distributed microprocessors to control dedicated end-effector operations, machine vision guidance for strut installation, and the use of an expert system-based executive-control program. This paper summarizes the developmental phases of the program, the results of several assembly tests, and a series of proposed enhancements. No problems that would preclude automated in-space assembly or truss structures have been encountered. The test system was developed at a breadboard level and continued development at an enhanced level is warranted.

Rhodes, Marvin D.↗

NASA NTRS1998

Three Dimensional Urban Characterization by IFSAR Measurements

In this paper a machine vision approach is applied to Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radars (IFSAR) data to extract the most relevant built structures in a dense urban environment. The algorithm tries to cluster primitives (line segments) into more complex surfaces (planes) to approximate the 3D shape of these objects. Very interesting results starting from TOPSAR data recorded over S, Monica are presented.

Gamba, P.↗

NASA NTRS2000

Tera-Ops Processing for ATR

A three-dimensional microelectronic device (3DANN-R) capable of performing general image convolution at the speed of 1012 operations/second (ops) in a volume of less than 1.5 cubic centimeter has been successfully built under the BMDO/JPL VIGILANTE program. 3DANN-R was developed in partnership with Irvine Sensors Corp., Costa Mesa, California. 3DANN-R is a sugar-cube-sized, low power image convolution engine that in its core computation circuitry is capable of performing 64 image convolutions with large (64x64) windows at video frame rates. This paper explores potential applications of 3DANN-R such as target recognition, SAR and hyperspectral data processing, and general machine vision using real data and discuss technical challenges for providing deployable systems for BMDO surveillance and interceptor programs.

Udomkesmalee, Suraphol↗

NASA NTRS1998

VR for Mars Pathfinder

Virtual reality (VR) technology has played an integral role for Mars Pathfinder mission, operations Using an automated machine vision algorithm, the 3d topography of the Martian surface was rapidly recovered fro -a the stereo images captured. by the Tender camera to produce photo-realistic 3d models, An advanced, interface was developed for visualization and interaction with. the virtual environment of the Pathfinder landing site for mission scientists at the Space Flight Operations Facility of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The VR aspect of the display allowed mission scientists to navigate on Mars in Bud while remaining here on Earth, thus improving their spatial awareness of the rock field that surrounds the lenders Measurements of positions, distances and angles could be easily extracted from the topographic models, providing valuable information for science analysis and mission. planning. Moreover, the VR map of Mars has also been used to assist with the archiving and planning of activities for the Sojourner rover.

Blackmon, Theodore↗

NASA NTRS1998

Back in Time

Under a Jet Propulsion Laboratory SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research), Cambridge Research and Instrumentation Inc., developed a new class of filters for the construction of small, low-cost multispectral imagers. The VariSpec liquid crystal enables users to obtain multi-spectral, ultra-high resolution images using a monochrome CCD (charge coupled device) camera. Application areas include biomedical imaging, remote sensing, and machine vision.

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NASA NTRS1992

Controllable Mirror Devices

A deformable Mirror Device (DMD) is a type of spatial light modulator in which mirrors fabricated monolithically on a silicon chip are deformed, or tilted, under electronic control to change the direction of light that falls upon the mirror. NASA and Texas Instruments (TI) have worked to develop this technology, which has subsequently been commercialized by TI. Initial application is the DMD 2000 Travel Information Printer for high speed, high volume printing of airline tickets and boarding passes. Other possible applications range from real-time object tracking to advanced industrial machine vision systems.

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NASA NTRS2003

Image Acquisition in Real Time

In 1995, Carlos Jorquera left NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to focus on erasing the growing void between high-performance cameras and the requisite software to capture and process the resulting digital images. Since his departure from NASA, Jorquera s efforts have not only satisfied the private industry's cravings for faster, more flexible, and more favorable software applications, but have blossomed into a successful entrepreneurship that is making its mark with improvements in fields such as medicine, weather forecasting, and X-ray inspection. Formerly a JPL engineer who constructed imaging systems for spacecraft and ground-based astronomy projects, Jorquera is the founder and president of the three-person firm, Boulder Imaging Inc., based in Louisville, Colorado. Joining Jorquera to round out the Boulder Imaging staff are Chief Operations Engineer Susan Downey, who also gained experience at JPL working on space-bound projects including Galileo and the Hubble Space Telescope, and Vice President of Engineering and Machine Vision Specialist Jie Zhu Kulbida, who has extensive industrial and research and development experience within the private sector.

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NASA NTRS2003

Design of a Borescope for Extravehicular Non-Destructive Applications

Anomalies such as corrosion, structural damage, misalignment, cracking, stress fiactures, pitting, or wear can be detected and monitored by the aid of a borescope. A borescope requires a source of light for proper operation. Today s current lighting technology market consists of incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps and other types of electric arc and electric discharge vapor lamp. Recent advances in LED technology have made LEDs viable for a number of applications, including vehicle stoplights, traffic lights, machine-vision-inspection, illumination, and street signs. LEDs promise significant reduction in power consumption compared to other sources of light. This project focused on comparing images taken by the Olympus IPLEX, using two different light sources. One of the sources is the 50-W internal metal halide lamp and the other is a 1 W LED placed at the tip of the insertion tube. Images acquired using these two light sources were quantitatively compared using their histogram, intensity profile along a line segment, and edge detection. Also, images were qualitatively compared using image registration and transformation [l]. The gray-level histogram, edge detection, image profile and image registration do not offer conclusive results. The LED light source, however, produces good images for visual inspection by an operator. Analysis using pattern recognition using Eigenfaces and Gaussian Pyramid in face recognition may be more useful.

Bachnak, Rafic↗

NASA NTRS2004

An Optimal Cell Detection Technique for Automated Patch Clamping

While there are several hardware techniques for the automated patch clamping of cells that describe the equipment apparatus used for patch clamping, very few explain the science behind the actual technique of locating the ideal cell for a patch clamping procedure. We present a machine vision approach to patch clamping cell selection by developing an intelligent algorithm technique that gives the user the ability to determine the good cell to patch clamp in an image within one second. This technique will aid the user in determining the best candidates for patch clamping and will ultimately save time, increase efficiency and reduce cost. The ultimate goal is to combine intelligent processing with instrumentation and controls in order to produce a complete turnkey automated patch clamping system capable of accurately and reliably patch clamping cells with a minimum amount of human intervention. We present a unique technique that identifies good patch clamping cell candidates based on feature metrics of a cell's (x, y) position, major axis length, minor axis length, area, elongation, roundness, smoothness, angle of orientation, thinness and whether or not the cell is only particularly in the field of view. A patent is pending for this research.

McDowell, Mark↗

NASA NTRS2004

The Perfect Mate for Safe Fueling

Referred to as the "lifeline for any space launch vehicle" by NASA Space Launch Initiative Program Manager Warren Wiley, an umbilical is a large device that transports power, communications, instrument readings, and fluids such as propellants, pressurization gases, and coolants from one source to another. Numerous launch vehicles, planetary systems, and rovers require umbilical "mating". This process is a driving factor for dependable and affordable space access. With future-generation space vehicles in mind, NASA recently designed a smart, automated method for quickly and reliably mating and demating electrical and fluid umbilical connectors. The new umbilical concept is expected to replace NASA s traditional umbilical systems that release at vehicle lift-off (T-0). The idea is to increase safety by automatically performing hazardous tasks, thus reducing potential failure modes and the time and labor hours necessary to prepare for launch. The new system will also be used as a test bed for quick disconnect development and for advance control and leak detection. It incorporates concepts such as a secondary mate plate, robotic machine vision, and compliant motor motion control, and is destined to advance usage of automated umbilicals in a variety of aerospace and commercial applications.

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NASA NTRS2002

Compact Video Microscope Imaging System Implemented in Colloid Studies

Long description Photographs showing fiber-optic light source, microscope and charge-coupled discharge (CCD) camera head connected to camera body, CCD camera body feeding data to image acquisition board in PC, and Cartesian robot controlled via PC board. The Compact Microscope Imaging System (CMIS) is a diagnostic tool with intelligent controls for use in space, industrial, medical, and security applications. CMIS can be used in situ with a minimum amount of user intervention. This system can scan, find areas of interest in, focus on, and acquire images automatically. Many multiple-cell experiments require microscopy for in situ observations; this is feasible only with compact microscope systems. CMIS is a miniature machine vision system that combines intelligent image processing with remote control. The software also has a user-friendly interface, which can be used independently of the hardware for further post-experiment analysis. CMIS has been successfully developed in the SML Laboratory at the NASA Glenn Research Center and adapted for use for colloid studies and is available for telescience experiments. The main innovations this year are an improved interface, optimized algorithms, and the ability to control conventional full-sized microscopes in addition to compact microscopes. The CMIS software-hardware interface is being integrated into our SML Analysis package, which will be a robust general-purpose image-processing package that can handle over 100 space and industrial applications.

McDowell, Mark↗

NASA NTRS2004

Compact Microscope Imaging System With Intelligent Controls Improved

The Compact Microscope Imaging System (CMIS) with intelligent controls is a diagnostic microscope analysis tool with intelligent controls for use in space, industrial, medical, and security applications. This compact miniature microscope, which can perform tasks usually reserved for conventional microscopes, has unique advantages in the fields of microscopy, biomedical research, inline process inspection, and space science. Its unique approach integrates a machine vision technique with an instrumentation and control technique that provides intelligence via the use of adaptive neural networks. The CMIS system was developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center specifically for interface detection used for colloid hard spheres experiments; biological cell detection for patch clamping, cell movement, and tracking; and detection of anode and cathode defects for laboratory samples using microscope technology.

McDowell, Mark↗