A system includes a robotic arm, a rotisserie control linkage, and a computer system. The robotic arm includes a touch probe and laser head. The rotisserie control linkage is configured to couple to a transport cart. The computer system is communicatively coupled to the robotic arm and the rotisserie control linkage and is configured to control the system to probe, using the touch probe of the robotic arm, a transparent outer layer of an aircraft canopy located on the transport cart in order to determine surface measurements of the aircraft canopy. The computer system also controls the system to ablate, using a plurality of predetermined parameters and the laser head of the robotic arm, an interface layer located between the transparent outer layer and the aircraft canopy, wherein movements of the robotic arm during the ablation are based on the surface measurements.

A system is provided for communicating between a 3D metrology instrument and a portable computing device via near field communications. In one embodiment, the metrology device is an articulated coordinate measurement machine (AACMM), a laser tracker, a laser scanner or a triangulation scanner, and the portable communications device is a cellular phone or a tablet. The portable device may use the NFC to retrieve data stored on a circuit associated with an object to be inspected and use the data to perform an inspection on the object using the metrology device.

A surface sensing device is mounted on an articulating probe head of a coordinate measuring machine. The device includes an elongate probe holder which is rotatable about an axis. An elongate sensing module includes a surface finish or surface roughness probe with a stylus tip. This is connected to the probe holder via an adjustable knuckle joint. To determine the geometry of the surface sensing device, including the tip normal and drag vector of the stylus tip, the orientations of the probe holder and the sensing module are determined by probing points which are spaced along their lengths, using a separate probe.

An articulating probe for a measurement device includes a base platform, a rotor platform that is movable relative to the base platform, and a sensor element coupled to the rotor platform. The rotor platform is coupled to the base platform via a spherical parallel kinematic system.

Provided are a probe for a three-dimensional coordinate measuring device that enable calculation of coordinates of a measurement point of a measurement target with high accuracy. The probe is used in the three-dimensional coordinate measuring device that calculates coordinates of a measurement point of a measurement target. In the probe, a plurality of markers whose image is captured by an imaging unit are held by a probe holding unit. A stylus, which is brought into contact with the measurement target to specify the measurement point, is attached to the probe holding unit. The stylus has a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the plurality of measurement markers. The probe holding unit is connected to a probe casing in a freely movable manner. A magnetic sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to a displacement amount of the probe holding unit with respect to the probe casing is provided inside the probe casing.

A measuring head (1; 1a) for a tactile coordinate measuring device (22), in particular an exclusively tactile coordinate measuring device, which has several sensor devices (3, 5; 3a, 5a) for determining at least one measured value at least at one measuring point (15). Advantageously, a first sensor device (3; 3a) comprises a tactile sensor and a second sensor device (5; 5a) comprises an optical detecting means (19), wherein both sensor devices (3, 5; 3a, 5a) can be connected to the tactile coordinate measuring device (22) by a single connecting section (9; 9a). Advantageously, an existing tactile coordinate measuring device can be converted into a multi-sensor coordinate measuring device without structural modifications. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for measuring a workpiece with a tactile coordinate measuring device and a coordinate measuring device.

A coordinate measuring machine (CMM) system is provided including utilization of a vision probe (e.g., for performing operations for determining and/or measuring surface profiles of workpieces, etc.) The angular orientation of the vision probe may be adjusted using a rotation mechanism so that the optical axis of the vision probe is directed toward an angled surface of a workpiece (e.g., in some implementations the optical axis may be approximately perpendicular to the angled workpiece surface). X-axis, y-axis and z-axis slide mechanisms (e.g., moving in mutually orthogonal directions) may in conjunction move the vision probe to acquisition positions along an image stack acquisition axis (which may approximately coincide with the optical axis) for acquiring a stack of images of the angled workpiece surface. Focus curve data may be determined from analysis of the image stack, which indicates 3-dimensional positions of surface points on the angled surface of the workpiece.

Various arrangements for handling a potential security situation using a home automation system are presented. A biometric measurement of a user may be received. An alert from a home automation device in wireless communication with the home automation host system may be received. If the biometric measurement is associated with the alert, a security response action may be performed.

A system includes a first light source that emits a beam of light; an electrical modulator that imparts a time-varying modulation on the beam of light; a beam- shaping system that shapes the beam of light and projects the shaped beam of light onto an object; an image sensor that captures the beam of light reflected from the object; and processors that determine three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of points on the object.

A system includes a handheld unit having a light source, an image sensor, one or more first processors, an Ethernet cable, and a frame. The light source projects light onto an object, and the image sensor captures an image of light reflected from the object. One or more first processors are directly coupled to the frame. An accessory device has one or more second processors that receive data extracted from the captured image over the Ethernet cable and, in response, determine three-dimensional (3D) coordinates of points on the object. The accessory device also send electrical power over the Ethernet cable to the handheld unit.