Image Synthesis for Obstructed Concrete Wall Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for inspecting concrete wall surfaces, such as bridges and tunnels, face challenges in detecting variations like cracks when obstacles are present between the inspection object and the camera, leading to potential overlooking of defects.
Innovation Solution
An image processing apparatus that acquires images from multiple viewpoints, associates feature coordinates, determines corresponding regions, generates a synthesized image by replacing obstructed regions, and displays variation data to enhance detection accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single camera is used to capture the concrete wall surface, then the inspection process is simple, but obstacles may shield portions of the wall causing variations like cracks to be overlooked
Solution Approach 1:
The inspection process is segmented into multiple capturing operations from different viewpoint positions. The concrete wall surface is divided into multiple capture regions, and by synthesizing images from multiple viewpoints, the system ensures that obscured portions are captured from alternative angles, thereby improving detection reliability without requiring a single complex camera system
Solution Approach 2:
An image synthesis apparatus acts as an intermediary between the captured images and the final inspection result. This apparatus synthesizes multiple captured images to generate a comprehensive synthesized image that reveals portions obscured by obstacles, thereby improving detection reliability while keeping the capturing device relatively simple
2Reliability
If multiple cameras are used to capture all portions of the concrete wall surface, then detection reliability improves, but device complexity and operation cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple static cameras simultaneously, the system employs a single camera that dynamically changes viewpoint positions by moving to different locations. This dynamic approach allows one camera to capture multiple perspectives sequentially, achieving the same coverage as multiple cameras would provide, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining detection reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary capturing operations at multiple viewpoint positions before synthesis. By pre-capturing images from different angles and positions, the system ensures complete coverage of the concrete wall surface including obscured portions, which are then synthesized into a comprehensive image for reliable detection
3Reliability
If images are captured from multiple viewpoint positions, then obscured regions can be detected, but image processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The image synthesis apparatus creates a synthesized image that is a composite copy integrating information from multiple captured images. This synthesized image serves as a unified representation that incorporates obscured portions from different viewpoints, enabling reliable variation detection while simplifying the processing by providing a single comprehensive image for analysis
4Measurement precision
If close visual inspection is performed by inspection engineers, then detailed observation is possible, but operation cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of close visual inspection by inspection engineers with an automated image capturing and synthesis system. Cameras capture images of the concrete wall surface from multiple viewpoints, and image synthesis apparatus automatically processes these images to detect variations like cracks, thereby maintaining inspection precision while significantly improving productivity by eliminating manual inspection work
Data Source
AI summary
An image processing apparatus acquires a first image which captures a scene including an object from a first viewpoint position and a second image which captures a scene including the object from a second viewpoint position, and associates a coordinate position corresponding to a position of a feature of the object on the first image with a coordinate position corresponding to a position of a feature of the object on the second image. The image processing apparatus determines a partial region in the second image corresponding to a give region in the first image based on the association, generates a synthesized image by replacing an image of the given region using an image of the determined partial region, and superimposing variation data on the synthesized image.