Roller Tactile Sensor for Continuous High-Resolution Surface Inspection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface inspection technologies face challenges in achieving high-resolution, continuous, and cost-effective surface assessment for large-scale manufacturing, particularly in industries like aerospace and automotive, due to limitations in sensing area, complexity, and cost of current methods such as laser scanning and structured light systems.
Innovation Solution
A vision-based tactile sensing system using a cylindrical roller design with an elastomeric belt and optical components, including a camera and LEDs, that rolls over the surface to capture detailed surface information through continuous contact, enabling large-scale surface reconstruction with high-resolution tactile feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If laser scanning or structured light systems are used for surface inspection, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex laser scanning or structured light systems with a simpler vision-based tactile sensor that uses a camera and elastomeric membrane. The mechanical deformation of the elastomer under surface contact is captured by a standard camera, substituting sophisticated optical systems with a more straightforward mechanical-optical combination that achieves comparable measurement precision for surface topography.
Solution Approach 2:
The elastomeric membrane creates a physical copy or imprint of the surface topography through direct contact. When the membrane deforms under surface features, it replicates the surface geometry, which is then captured by the camera. This copying mechanism allows accurate surface measurement without requiring complex scanning systems.
2Ease of manufacture
If traditional vision-based tactile sensors are used, then cost is reduced, but sensing area is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a planar or small-area sensor to a three-dimensional cylindrical roller configuration. By wrapping the elastomeric membrane around a roller, the sensing area expands to the full cylindrical surface, allowing continuous contact and inspection of larger surfaces while maintaining the cost-effective vision-based approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor system incorporates a rotating roller that dynamically contacts the surface, enabling continuous inspection across large areas. The rotation allows the有限 sensing area of the membrane to cover an extended surface region over time, effectively increasing the total inspection area while maintaining a compact, cost-effective design.
3Area of stationary object
If a roller sensor is used to increase sensing area, then surface coverage is improved, but maintaining consistent contact pressure becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses vision feedback by capturing images of the elastomeric membrane deformation with a camera. This visual information provides feedback on the contact state and pressure distribution, allowing the system to monitor and maintain consistent contact conditions across the roller surface during rotation, thereby ensuring reliable measurements over the expanded sensing area.
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
The system provides efficient, accurate, and cost-effective surface inspection capable of capturing fine surface details, reconstructing 3D meshes with high accuracy, and maintaining consistent contact area, overcoming limitations of traditional sensors by using a rolling mechanism and image fusion methods.
Implementation Method 1
an object applying a first pressure to the elastomer produces an indented region
Implementation Method 2
First emission light, emitted by the at least one light source, passes through at least a portion of the optical window and interacts with the opaque material to produce a first interaction light
Implementation Method 3
The photosensor receives at least part of the first interaction light to form a first image
Data Source
AI summary
An example embodiment includes a system. The system includes at least one light source, a photosensor, an optical window, an elastomer with an outer face, and an opaque material. The opaque material partially covers the outer face of the elastomer. First emission light, emitted by the at least one light source, passes through at least a portion of the optical window and interacts with the opaque material to produce a first interaction light. The photosensor receives at least part of the first interaction light to form a first image. An object applying a first pressure to the elastomer produces an indented region that affects an amount or a direction of first interaction light received by photosensor. The first image indicates one or more features of the object.