A shape measuring apparatus includes a stage, a light projecting portion, a light receiving portion, and a rotation unit. The rotation unit is attached to an end of the stage. The rotation unit rotates the measurement subject about a rotation axis that vertically intersects while holding the measurement subject. In a state where the measurement subject is at a predetermined rotation angular position, the pattern light is emitted from the light projecting portion to the measurement subject a plurality of times while being phase-shifted. At this time, the light receiving portion captures an image of the measurement subject. Three-dimensional shape data is generated on the basis of a plurality of pieces of image data obtained by imaging.

A three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus includes a fixer that fixes an illuminator and a photoreceptor to produce a measurement area to be illuminated with measuring light above a stage and to incline their optical axes with respect to a placement surface of the stage in an orientation in which the illuminator and the photoreceptor face the measurement area obliquely downward; a point cloud data generator that generates point cloud data as a set of points including three-dimensional position information representing a three-dimensional shape of a measurement object placed on the stage based on light-reception signals provided by the photoreceptor; a top view map image generator that generates a top view map image representing a plan view of the measurement object as viewed downward from a position right above the measurement object based on the point cloud data; and a display that displays the top view map image.

A three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus includes: a single projector device that projects a first light pattern whose luminance changes at a first cycle and a second light pattern whose luminance changes at a second cycle that is longer than the first cycle on a measured object; an image capture device that acquire an image of the measured object on which the first or second light pattern is projected; and an image processing device that processes the image acquired by the image capture device. The image processing device includes a relative phase value calculation unit that calculates a relative phase value on each part of the measured object based on a luminance value of an image of the measured object on which the first light pattern is projected, an absolute phase value calculation unit that calculates an absolute phase value on each part of the measured object based on a luminance value and the relative phase value of an image of the measured object on which the second light pattern is projected, and a three-dimensional coordinate calculation unit that calculates three-dimensional coordinates at each part of the measured object based on the absolute phase value.

A three-dimensional shape measuring apparatus includes: a single projector device that projects a first light pattern whose luminance changes at a first cycle and a second light pattern whose luminance changes at a second cycle that is longer than the first cycle on a measured object; an image capture device that acquire an image of the measured object on which the first or second light pattern is projected; and an image processing device that processes the image acquired by the image capture device. The image processing device includes a relative phase value calculation unit that calculates a relative phase value on each part of the measured object based on a luminance value of an image of the measured object on which the first light pattern is projected, an absolute phase value calculation unit that calculates an absolute phase value on each part of the measured object based on a luminance value and the relative phase value of an image of the measured object on which the second light pattern is projected, and a three-dimensional coordinate calculation unit that calculates three-dimensional coordinates at each part of the measured object based on the absolute phase value.

For three-dimensional topography measurement of a surface of an object patterned illumination is projected on the surface through an objective. A relative movement between the object and the objective is carried out, and plural images of the surface are recorded through the objective by a detector. The direction of the relative movement includes an oblique angle with an optical axis of the objective. Height information for a given position on the surface is derived from a variation of the intensity recorded from the respective position. Also, patterned illumination and uniform illumination may be projected alternatingly on the surface, while images of the surface are recorded during a relative movement of the object and the objective along an optical axis of the objective. Uniform illumination is used for obtaining height information for specular structures on the surface, patterned illumination is used for obtaining height information on other parts of the surface.

An apparatus for determining at least one of dimensional and geometric properties of a measurement object has a first measurement arrangement, which records first measurement values. The first measurement values represent respective positions of first selected measurement points relative to a first coordinate system. The apparatus has a second measurement arrangement, which records second measurement values. The second measurement values represent respective surface normals at second selected measurement points. The first and second measurement arrangements are arranged spatially fixedly with respect to one another on a housing body. The apparatus further has a third measurement arrangement, which records third measurement values. The third measurement values represent a respective current position of the housing body relative to a further coordinate system. The evaluation unit is configured to combine the first measurement values and the second measurement values positionally correctly using the third measurement values.

There is provided a mobile robot that performs the obstacle avoidance, positioning and object recognition according to image frames captured by the same optical sensor. The mobile robot includes an optical sensor, a light emitting diode, a laser diode and a processor. The processor identifies an obstacle and a distance thereof according to image frames captured by the optical sensor when the laser diode is emitting light. The processor further performs the positioning and object recognition according to image frames captured by the optical sensor when the light emitting diode is emitting light.

A broken wheel detection system for detecting broken wheels on rail vehicles even when such vehicles are moving at a high rate of speed by determining the positions, lengths, or orientations of structured light lines projected against passing wheels.

An apparatus for capturing at least partially reflective surfaces includes a detection surface assembly, an illumination device configured to emit an illumination pattern toward the at least partially reflective surface so as so project, by reflection via the at least partially reflective surface, a first reflection pattern and a second reflection pattern onto the detection surface assembly. The apparatus includes a capturing unit configured to capture the first reflection pattern and the second reflection pattern from the detection surface assembly.

A method of generating a three-dimensional topological surface representation of a tyre on a vehicle, the method comprising: using a tread depth measurement device to record tread depth data for a tyre surface moving relative to the tread depth measurement device; generating a movement profile of the tyre surface; and using the movement profile of the tyre surface to map the tread depth data onto a base tyre structure, thereby generating a three-dimensional topological surface representation of the tyre.