Fraunhofer-Institut für Optronik, Systemtechnik und Bildauswertung IOSB

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  • Publication
    Real-time multitarget tracking for sensor-based sorting: A new implementation of the auction algorithm for graphics processing units
    ( 2019)
    Maier, Georg
    ;
    Pfaff, F.
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    Wagner, M.
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    Pieper, C.
    ;
    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Noack, B.
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    Kruggel-Emden, H.
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    Längle, Thomas
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    Hanebeck, U.D.
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    Scherer, V.
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    Utilizing parallel algorithms is an established way of increasing performance in systems that are bound to real-time restrictions. Sensor-based sorting is a machine vision application for which firm real-time requirements need to be respected in order to reliably remove potentially harmful entities from a material feed. Recently, employing a predictive tracking approach using multitarget tracking in order to decrease the error in the physical separation in optical sorting has been proposed. For implementations that use hard associations between measurements and tracks, a linear assignment problem has to be solved for each frame recorded by a camera. The auction algorithm can be utilized for this purpose, which also has the advantage of being well suited for parallel architectures. In this paper, an improved implementation of this algorithm for a graphics processing unit (GPU) is presented. The resulting algorithm is implemented in both an OpenCL and a CUDA based environment. By using an optimized data structure, the presented algorithm outperforms recently proposed implementations in terms of speed while retaining the quality of output of the algorithm. Furthermore, memory requirements are significantly decreased, which is important for embedded systems. Experimental results are provided for two different GPUs and six datasets. It is shown that the proposed approach is of particular interest for applications dealing with comparatively large problem sizes.
  • Publication
    Application of area-scan sensors in sensor-based sorting
    ( 2018)
    Maier, Georg
    ;
    Pfaff, F.
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    Pieper, C.
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    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Noack, B.
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    Kruggel-Emden, H.
    ;
    Längle, Thomas
    ;
    Hanebeck, U.D.
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    Wirtz, S.
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    Scherer, V.
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    In the field of machine vision, sensor-based sorting is an important real-time application that enables the separation of a material feed into different classes. While state-of-the-art systems utilize scanning sensors such as line-scan cameras, advances in sensor technology have made application of area scanning sensors feasible. Provided a sufficiently high frame rate, objects can be observed at multiple points in time. By applying multiobject tracking, information about the objects contained in the material stream can be fused over time. Based on this information, our approach further allows predicting the position of each object for future points in time. While conventional systems typically apply a global, rather simple motion model, our approach includes an individual motion model for each object, which in turn allows estimating the point in time as well as the position when reaching the separation stage. In this contribution, we present results from our collaborative research project and summarize the present advances by discussing the potential of the application of area-scan sensors for sensor-based sorting. Among others, we introduce our simulation-driven approach and present results for physical separation efficiency for simulation-generated data, demonstrate the potential of using motion-based features for material classification and discuss real-time related challenges.
  • Publication
    Motion-based material characterization in sensor-based sorting
    ( 2018)
    Maier, Georg
    ;
    Pfaff, F.
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    Becker, F.
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    Pieper, C.
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    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Noack, B.
    ;
    Kruggel-Emden, H.
    ;
    Längle, Thomas
    ;
    Hanebeck, U.D.
    ;
    Wirtz, S.
    ;
    Scherer, V.
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    Für die Sortierung von kohäsiven, granularen Materialien entspricht die sensorgestützte Sortierung dem Stand der Technik. Die Auswahl geeigneter Systemkomponenten, wie etwa Sensorik, Beleuchtung, oder die Realisierung der Datenauswertung, orientiert sich bei der Entwicklung entsprechender Systeme an der konkreten Sortieraufgabe, die es zu lösen gilt. Eine Gemeinsamkeit findet sich im Einsatz scannender Sensoren. Jüngst wurde jedoch der Einsatz von Flächenkameras vorgeschlagen. Durch die Beobachtung von Objekten zu mehreren Zeitpunkten besteht die Möglichkeit, deren Bewegungspfade zu verfolgen. Dies erlaubt eine präzise Schätzung der Position und des Zeitpunkts, zu welchem ein Objekt die Trennstufe des Systems erreicht und hilft somit dabei, den Fehler in der physikalischen Separation zu verringern. In dieser Veröffentlichung wird vorgeschlagen, diese Bewegungsinformation ebenfalls zur Charakterisierung von Materialien zu verwenden. Durch die Ableitung geeigneter Merkmale zeigen wir exemplarisch für eine Klassifikationsaufgabe, dass hierdurch gute Ergebnisse erzielt werden können. Der vorgestellte Ansatz trägt damit zur Verringerung des Erkennungsfehlers in Sortiersystemen bei.
  • Publication
    Improving material characterization in sensor-based sorting by utilizing motion information
    ( 2017)
    Maier, Georg
    ;
    Pfaff, F.
    ;
    Becker, F.
    ;
    Pieper, C.
    ;
    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Noack, B.
    ;
    Kruggel-Emden, H.
    ;
    Längle, Thomas
    ;
    Hanebeck, U.D.
    ;
    Wirtz, S.
    ;
    Scherer, V.
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    Sensor-based sorting provides state-of-the-art solutions for sorting of cohesive, granular materials. Systems are tailored to a task at hand, for instance by means of sensors and implementation of data analysis. Conventional systems utilize scanning sensors which do not allow for extraction of motion related information of objects contained in a material feed. Recently, usage of area-scan cameras to overcome this disadvantage has been proposed. Multitarget tracking can then be used in order to accurately estimate the point in time and position at which any object will reach the separation stage. In this paper, utilizing motion information of objects which can be retrieved from multitarget tracking for the purpose of classification is proposed. Results show that corresponding features can significantly increase classification performance and eventually decrease the detection error of a sorting system.
  • Publication
    Improving multitarget tracking using orientation estimates for sorting bulk materials
    ( 2017)
    Pfaff, F.
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    Kurz, G.
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    Pieper, C.
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    Maier, Georg
    ;
    Noack, B.
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    Kruggel-Emden, H.
    ;
    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Hanebeck, U.D.
    ;
    Wirtz, S.
    ;
    Scherer, V.
    ;
    Längle, Thomas
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    Optical belt sorters can be used to sort a large variety of bulk materials. By the use of sophisticated algorithms, the performance of the complex machinery can be further improved. Recently, we have proposed an extension to industrial optical belt sorters that involves tracking the individual particles on the belt using an area scan camera. If the estimated behavior of the particles matches the true behavior, the reliability of the separation process can be improved. The approach relies on multitarget tracking using hard association decisions between the tracks and the measurements. In this paper, we propose to include the orientation in the assessment of the compatibility of a track and a measurement. This allows us to achieve more reliable associations, facilitating a higher accuracy of the tracking results.
  • Publication
    Simulation-based evaluation of predictive tracking for sorting bulk materials
    ( 2016)
    Pfaff, F.
    ;
    Pieper, C.
    ;
    Maier, Georg
    ;
    Noack, B.
    ;
    Kruggel-Emden, H.
    ;
    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Hanebeck, U.
    ;
    Wirtz, S.
    ;
    Scherer, V.
    ;
    Längle, Thomas
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    Multitarget tracking problems arise in many realworld applications. The performance of the utilized algorithm strongly depends both on how the data association problem is handled and on the suitability of the motion models employed. Especially the motion models can be hard to validate. Previously, we have proposed to use multitarget tracking to improve optical belt sorters. In this paper, we evaluate both the suitability of our model and the tracking and then of our entire system incorporating the image processing component via the use of highly realistic numerical simulations. We first assess the model using noise-free measurements generated by the simulation and then evaluate the entire system by using synthetically generated image data.
  • Publication
    Fast multitarget tracking via strategy switching for sensor-based sorting
    ( 2016)
    Maier, Georg
    ;
    Pfaff, F.
    ;
    Pieper, C.
    ;
    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Noack, B.
    ;
    Kruggel-Emden, H.
    ;
    Längle, Thomas
    ;
    Hanebeck, U.
    ;
    Wirtz, S.
    ;
    Scherer, V.
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    State-of-the-art sensor-based sorting systems provide solutions to sort various products according to quality aspects. Such systems face the challenge of an existing delay between perception and separation of the material. To reliably predict an object's position when reaching the separation stage, information regarding its movement needs to be derived. Multitarget tracking offers approaches through which this can be achieved. However, processing time is typically limited since the sorting decision for each object needs to be derived sufficiently early before it reaches the separation stage. In this paper, an approach for multitarget tracking in sensor-based sorting is proposed which supports establishing an upper bound regarding processing time required for solving the measurement to track association problem. To demonstrate the success of the proposed method, experiments are conducted for datasets obtained via simulation of a sorting system. This way, it is possible to not only demonstrate the impact on required runtime but also on the quality of the association.
  • Publication
    TrackSort: Predictive tracking for sorting uncooperative bulk materials
    ( 2015)
    Pfaff, F.
    ;
    Baum, M.
    ;
    Noack, B.
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    Hanebeck, U.D.
    ;
    Gruna, Robin
    ;
    Längle, Thomas
    ;
    Beyerer, Jürgen
    Optical belt sorters are a versatile, state-of-the art technology to sort bulk materials that are hard to sort based on only nonvisual properties. In this paper, we propose an extension to current optical belt sorters that involves replacing the line camera with an area camera to observe a wider field of view, allowing us to observe each particle over multiple time steps. By performing multitarget tracking, we are able to improve the prediction of each particle's movement and thus enhance the performance of the utilized separation mechanism. We show that our approach will allow belt sorters to handle new classes of bulk materials while improving cost efficiency. Furthermore, we lay out additional extensions that are made possible by our new paradigm.