Devices, methods and systems are disclosed that enable deflectometry on a wide array of objects, including convex and freeform optical components. One example deflectometry system includes a light source with a plurality of light emitting devices to illuminate an object under test with incident light, and a detector positioned to receive a reflected or transmitted light from the object under test. The deflectometry system further includes a movable stage for holding or securing the object under test. The movable stage can move in a translational or a rotational direction to cause the object under test to translate or rotate in a plurality of steps such that the light received at the detector encompasses a portion of a full illumination space surrounding the object, and the light received at the detector from all of the plurality of steps encompasses the full illumination space that contiguously surrounds the object under test.

A system for differentiating particulate contamination from defects on a surface of a specimen includes an illumination source configured to illuminate the specimen with a light at a predetermined angle relative to the surface of the specimen, an image recording device configured to capture the light reflected from the surface of the specimen in a sensor image, and an evaluation unit configured to receive deflectometry or phase-shifted deflectometry (PSD) image data and dust channel image data from the image recording device, correlate the PSD image data and dust channel image data, and separately output first result information and second result information, the first result information including defect identification information and defect location information and the second result information including contamination identification information and contamination location information.

An illuminating system includes an illuminating device that emits inspection light with which an inspection target is illuminated, an information acquiring device that acquires information regarding the inspection target, and a control device that controls the inspection light on the basis of the information regarding the inspection target.

Evaluation of a rotating wheel is described. The evaluation utilizes information acquired by radiation reflecting off of one or more regions of the rotating wheel. An imaging device can acquire image data which is processed to evaluate the wheel. The radiation can comprise diffuse and/or coherent radiation. Image data for substantially an entire circumference of the wheel can be used in the evaluation.

The present disclosure generally relates to machine vision systems, illumination sources for use in machine vision systems, and components for use in the illumination sources. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to machine vision systems incorporating multi-function illumination sources, multi-function illumination sources, and components for use in multi-function illumination sources.

A method of imaging surface features with a large (non-microscopic) field-of-view includes projecting a structured illumination pattern onto the transparent target. The surface features modify the structured illumination pattern, and an image of the modified structured illumination pattern is imaged at each of multiple different introduced phase shifts via an imaging device. The method further provides for extracting, from each of the captured phase-shifted images, image components that correspond to frequencies exceeding a cutoff frequency of the imaging device; and using the extracted image components to construct a corrected image of the surface features of the transparent target. The corrected image has a resolution that is greater than a spatially incoherent point-to-point optical resolution of the imaging device.

A device for detecting defects on at least one painted surface may include: a source configured to emit electromagnetic radiation, in at least one first spectral band, in order to project a beam of the radiation onto the at least one painted surface; a video camera sensitive in at least one second spectral band and configured to obtain images of the at least one painted surface in a zone where the beam of the radiation emitted by the source is projected; and a diffuser configured to intercept at least part of the radiation emitted by the source and to make more homogeneous a spatial distribution of radiation intensity over the at least one painted surface. A spectral working band of the device is the at least one first spectral band, the at least one second spectral band, or an intersection of the at least one first and second spectral bands.

A vehicle imaging station for capturing images of scratches and dents on a vehicle, the vehicle imaging station including a tunnel having an entrance and an exit, and a structured light source. The station has a first camera arranged with a field of view comprising/containing/encompassing a structured light portion of the tunnel volume in which the structured light image will be reflected to be visible to the first camera by a vehicle moving along the vehicle pathway, and a second camera arranged with a field of view comprising a non-structured light portion of the tunnel volume in which the structured light image will not be reflected to be visible to the second camera when a vehicle moves along the vehicle pathway. The station also includes a non-reflective, non-illuminating surface within the tunnel on a same side of the central axis of the vehicle pathway as the second camera.

An inspection apparatus may include: a structured-light source configured to sequentially radiate a plurality of structured lights having one phase range; a lens configured to adjust, for each of the plurality of structured lights, optical paths of light beams corresponding to phases of the phase range such that a light beam corresponding to one phase of the phase range arrives at each point of a partial region on an object; an image sensor configured to capture a plurality of reflected lights generated by the structured lights being reflected from the partial region; and a processor configured to acquire a light quantity value of the reflected lights; and derive an angle of the surface by deriving phase values of the reflected lights based on the light quantity value for the reflected lights.

A system and method to calibrate an uncollimated laser diode for three-dimensional imaging applications. A method includes providing an optical comparator having an uncollimated laser diode as a light source to generate a shadow with sharp boundaries when used to illuminate an opaque occluder, wherein a two lines source model of light propagation is used to describe a behavior of the uncollimated laser diode, the two lines source model defined by two three-dimensional (3D) lines as model parameters, the uncollimated laser diode calibrated by estimating the two lines as a function of a sample of a ray field emitted by the uncollimated laser diode.