Portable Wall Scanner for Internal Element Mapping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing measurement systems for creating digital two-dimensional floor plans of environments are complex, bulky, and require specialized personnel, making them unsuitable for time-sensitive situations like crime or accident scene investigations.
Innovation Solution
A portable system with a 2D scanner, image sensor, and wall sensor that generates a two-dimensional map of an environment, including internal elements inside walls, using a mobile device and processors to create an occupancy grid and associate it with the wall location, allowing for efficient and accurate documentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If existing scanning systems are used to generate digital floorplans, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and portability are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the scanning functionality into a portable 2D scanner that can be easily moved through the environment, separating it from the processing functionality that resides in the controller. This allows the scanning device to be simple and portable while the complex data processing occurs on a separate device, resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The portable scanner acts as an intermediary device that collects precise measurement data and transmits it to a controller for processing. This intermediary approach allows the scanning function to maintain high precision while the overall system complexity is managed by distributing components across separate devices (scanner and controller).
2Measurement precision
If existing scanning systems are used to generate digital floorplans, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into a simple portable scanner and a processing controller, the operation becomes easier - the user only needs to manually move the lightweight scanner through the environment while the complex processing is handled automatically by the controller, improving ease of operation while maintaining measurement precision.
3Measurement precision
If existing scanning systems are used to generate digital floorplans, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The segmentation of scanning and processing functions allows the portable scanner to be quickly moved between locations without being constrained by bulky equipment, while the controller processes data in the background. This significantly improves productivity by enabling faster data collection while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs dynamic data processing where the controller continuously receives and processes measurement data from the portable scanner in real-time, allowing the scanning operation to proceed without interruption and improving overall productivity while maintaining accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If existing scanning systems are used to generate digital floorplans, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the scanning device from the processing system, the portable scanner can be rapidly deployed and moved through the environment without being constrained by bulky equipment, reducing the time required to complete scans while maintaining measurement precision through the controller's accurate data processing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid and accurate generation of two-dimensional maps by a single person, including internal wall elements, facilitating quicker documentation in sensitive situations without the need for bulky equipment or specialized personnel.
Implementation Method 1
a light source, an image sensor and a controller, the light source steers a beam of light within the first plane to illuminate object points in the environment, the image sensor is arranged to receive light reflected from the object points
Data Source
AI summary
According to one or more embodiments, a system of generating a two-dimensional (2D) map of an environment includes a 2D scanner and a wall sensor positioned at a fixed position with respect to the 2D scanner, the wall sensor detects a presence of an internal element inside a wall in the environment. Further, the system includes one or more processors operably coupled to the 2D scanner and the wall sensor. The processors generate a wall map of a wall in the environment, the wall map including an occupancy grid with a plurality of cells, a cell representative of a corresponding portion of the wall, and the cell indicative of the occupancy of an internal element in the corresponding portion. Further, the processors associate the wall map with a location of the wall in the 2D map of the environment.