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2004
Conference Paper
Titel
A new visual 3D-sensor for a robot based security inspection of hidden areas
Abstract
At the present state of the art for the inspection of hidden areas in public, industrial or military objects almost exclusively tele-manipulated CCTV cameras (closed circuit tele-vision) are used. Based on this standard technology neither automatic detection nor 3D-measurement of the geometric shape of damages or dangerous objects is possible. Even in the case of principally visible damages or objects the subjective evaluation of TV images to human operators depends strongly on their experience and expertise. However, misinterpretation can result in disastrous consequences. A more qualified and comprehensive automatic security or roboting diagnosis requires necessarily to enhance CCTV technology by additional smart sensor components. For the important industrial and public application area of pipe inspection at Fraunhofer IITB a visual 3D light stripe sensor has been developed which can be easily integrated into marketable CCTV cameras carried by mobile robots in terrestrial or underwater areas. In the past it has been successfully applied to the robot based damage inspection of sewer pipes and of corroded fresh water pipes. Besides for the online diagnosis of safety features in public areas the proposed 3D sensor can be used for security inspection purposes, as well. Current experimental investigations at IITB demonstrate that dangerous objects (e.g. mines attached at car or ship bodies) can be reliably detected by the visual 3D sensor which can be carried by a mobile vehicles or robots in suspicious inspection areas. Contrary to other visual sensor products available at the market the visual 3D sensor presented in this paper is capable to provide online both reliable qualitative information of the object type and accurate quantitative data of its geometric 3D shape.