Browse Topic: Charge coupled devices

Items (70)

Protecting AV Control Circuits

21AVEP01_0801/01/2021

The mission-critical subsystems must be robust and reliable to ensure driver and passenger safety. The safety and convenience offered by autonomous vehicles (AVs) cannot be achieved unless the vehicle's electronic circuits are highly reliable and robust to electrical shocks. Designers can substantially reduce the risk of circuit failures by providing overcurrent protection, transient surge protection, electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, and reverse polarity protection. Strategies for circuit protection should begin with three mission-critical AV subsystems: camera, radar, and ADAS.

Robust Sensor Fused Object Detection Using Convolutional Neural Networks for Autonomous Vehicles

2020-01-010004/14/2020

Environmental perception is considered an essential module for autonomous driving and Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). Recently, deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have become the State-of-the-Art with many different architectures in various object detection problems. However, performances of existing CNNs have been dropping when detecting small objects at a large distance. To deploy any environmental perception system in real world applications, it is important that the system achieves high accuracy regardless of the size of the object, distance, and weather conditions. In this paper, a robust sensor fused object detection system is proposed by utilizing the advantages of both vision and automotive radar sensors. The proposed system consists of three major components: 1) the Coordinate Conversion module, 2) Multi level-Sensor Fusion Detection (MSFD) system, and 3) Temporal Correlation filtering module. The proposed MSFD system employs the principles of artificial

Park, Jungme, Jayachandran Raguraman, Sriram, Aslam, Aakif, Gotadki, Shruti

Evaluation of flow paths due to leakages of flammable liquids by the SPH method. Application to real engines.

2020-01-111104/14/2020

One the most important safety issues for automotive engineering is to avoid any fire due to the ignition of flammable liquids, which may result from leaks. Fire risk is a combination of hot temperature, fast vaporization and accumulation of vapor in a cavity. In IC engines, potentially flammable liquids are fuel and oil. To guarantee safety, no flammable liquids must come into contact hot parts of the engine. Consequently, shields are designed to guide the flow path of possible leakages and to take any flammable liquid out of the hot areas. Simulation is a great help to optimize the shape of the shield by investigating a large number of possible leakages rapidly. Recent breakthroughs in numerical methods make it possible to apply simulations to industrial design concepts. The approach is based on the Lagrangian Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The SPH method is an efficient method to capture the rivulets on highly complex geometries and thus determine the relevance of the

Ravet, Frederic, Dabert, Nathan, Ameye, Simon, Greif, David, Cornelis, Jens, Ihmsen, Markus

Decoding Multiple Frames from a Single, Scattered Exposure

TBMG-3489008/01/2019

When light gets scattered as it passes through a translucent material, the emerging pattern of “speckle” looks as random as static on a television screen with no signal. But it isn't random. Because the light coming from one point of an object travels a path very similar to that of the light coming from an adjacent point, the speckle pattern from each looks very much the same, just shifted slightly. Because modern cameras can record hundreds of millions of pixels at a time, only a single exposure is needed to make the statistics work.

Decoding Multiple Frames From a Single Scattered Exposure

TBMG-3355201/01/2019

Engineers at Duke University have developed a way to extract a sequence of images from light scattered through a mostly opaque material — or even off a wall — from one long photographic exposure. The technique has applications in a wide range of fields from security to healthcare to astronomy.

Brooke Thornton, Mission Operations Manager, NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA

TBMG-2676604/24/2017

On February 19, The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III instrument launched aboard a cargo capsule to the International Space Station. SAGE III — equipped with a telescope, grating spectrometer, and charge coupled device detector array — will use the light from the Sun and Moon to provide a profile of the atmosphere, including the Earth’s ozone layer. The technology will launch aboard the Falcon Dragon 9, a rocket developed by the Hawthorne, CA-based SpaceX.

High-Quantum Efficiency Photocathodes for Medical Diagnostics

TBMG-2642302/01/2017

Detection of a single photon is a requirement for many research and medical applications, such as fluorescence imaging, single molecule imaging, and luminescence applications. The sensitivity required for single photon detection has traditionally been provided by a photon amplification tube, such as an image intensifier, a microchannel plate photomultiplier tube (MCP PMTs), or a hybrid photodiode. Improvements to both the quantum efficiency (QE) of the photocathode and dark count rate (DCR), as well as some other factors, can improve both sensitivity and performance of any photon amplification tube, in turn improving the sensitivity of medical diagnostic imaging equipment.

Effect of Xylene Ratio on the Secondary Atomization with UV Laser

2015-32-079611/17/2015

In our study, phenomena is observed that 30µm droplet become breakup by UV laser irradiation. This phenomena change by composition of droplet. Then we focused on difference of absorbance, hexadecane and o-xylene are used as fuel. The former do not absorb UV enough and the latter do absorb UV enough. And authors examined the relation mixing ratio and breakup phenomena using blended fuel which consist of hexadecane and o-xylene. With regard to the UV laser we used, wavelength is 266nm, flash of time is 10nsec and laser intensity is 15mJ. CCD camera, strobe light with 180nsec flash time and lens of ten magnification were used for observation. As a result, we obtained the following; 1) A state of breakup phenomena depend on concentration of o-xylene. 2) The absorbance is not related with a state of breakup phenomena.

Enomoto, Hiroshi, Iwafune, Naoki, Morii, Masaya, Honda, Ryo, Hieda, Noboru, Teraoka, Yoshikazu

Hubble Spinoffs: Space Age Technology for the Masses

TBMG-2170803/01/2015

Over the plast 25 years, some of the sophisticated technology developed for the HST has been successfully spun off and commercialized to improve life on Earth.

Researcher Spotlight: AtomThick Material Offers 2D Imaging Possibilities

TBMG-2166603/01/2015

Rice University scientists have developed a two-dimensional, atom-thick, light-sensitive material called CIS, a single-layer matrix of copper, indium, and selenium atoms. Sidong Lei, a graduate student, also built a prototype — a three-pixel charge-coupled device (CCD) sensor — to prove the material’s ability to capture an image. The optoelectronic memory material may be the basis for future flat imaging devices and two-dimensional electronics.

Preparation, Planning, and Concept Demo of a Technique to Find ≈7-to-10-m Near Earth Asteroids

TBMG-2033208/01/2014

A paper describes a new technique designed to increase significantly the sensitivity for finding and tracking small, dim, and fast-moving near Earth asteroids (NEAs). The technique relies on a combined use of a novel data processing approach and a new generation of high-speed CCD cameras. These new cameras have very low readout noise (≈le–) and allow taking short exposures of moving objects at high frame rates, effectively “freezing” their motion on the CCD. A long-exposure image is synthetically created as if the telescope were tracking the object with a significantly higher SNR — an approach called “synthetic tracking.” By changing the shift/add vector, multiple dim objects moving in different directions can be detected in the same data set.

Spatial Phase-Shift Digital Shearography for Out-of-Plane Deformation Measurement

2014-01-082404/01/2014

Measuring deformation under dynamic loading is still a key problem in the automobile industry. The first spatial phase-shift shearography system for relative deformation measurement is reported. Traditional temporal phase-shift technique-based shearography systems are capable of measuring relative deformation by using a reference object. However, due to its low acquisition rate, the existing temporal phase-shift shearography system can be only used under static loading situations. This paper introduces a digital shearography system which utilizes the spatial phase-shift technique to obtain an extremely high acquisition rate. The newly developed spatial phase-shift shearography system uses a Michelson-Interferometer as the shearing device. A high power laser at 532nm wavelength is used as the light source. A one mega pixels high speed CCD camera is used to record the speckle pattern interference. The spatial frequency carrier is introduced by tilting one of the mirrors in the Michelson

Xie, Xin, Zheng, Yaqian, Li, Xiaona, Sia, Bernard, Zhong, Ping, Yang, Guobiao, Yang, Lianxiang

Improving Material Property Measurement Using Multi- Camera Digital Image Correlation

03/01/2014

The automotive industry faces growing pressure for more efficient vehicles. This pressure comes from many sources including government regulations, decreasing natural resources, and consumer demand. As the pressure begins to rise, automakers have a growing need for better fuel, more efficient energy-generating processes, and lighter vehicles. In an effort to reduce the weight of their vehicles, automakers have shown an increasing interest in using aluminum, provided it can withstand the same deformations as steel.

Electro-Optical Boresight Weapon System

TBMG-1982902/01/2014

Senso Optics Yokneam, Israel +972-4-993-5527

Improving Signal to Noise Ratios in Defense Electronics

TBMG-1620505/01/2013

As a vertical market, “defense electronics” encompasses a huge range of systems, from portable communications to transportation, avionics, and shipborne radar. While the power architectures are as diverse as they could be, all have common operational demands — they must be robust (shock, vibration, temperature extremes), highly reliable, able to power up after periods of dormancy, and based on components with minimal obsolescence.

A Tracking Sun Photometer Without Moving Parts

TBMG-1506211/01/2012

This innovation is small, lightweight, and consumes very little electricity as it measures the solar energy attenuated by gases and aerosol particles in the atmosphere. A Sun photometer is commonly used on the Earth’s surface, as well as on aircraft, to determine the solar energy attenuated by aerosol particles in the atmosphere and their distribution of sizes. This information is used to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of gases and aerosols in the atmosphere, as well as their distribution sizes.

Integrated Laser Characterization, Data Acquisition, and Command and Control Test System

TBMG-1386106/01/2012

Satellite-based laser technology has been developed for topographical measurements of the Earth and of other planets. Lasers for such missions must be highly efficient and stable over long periods in the temperature variations of orbit. In this innovation, LabVIEW is used on an Apple Macintosh to acquire and analyze images of the laser beam as it exits the laser cavity to evaluate the laser’s performance over time, and to monitor and control the environmental conditions under which the laser is tested. One computer attached to multiple cameras and instruments running LabVIEW-based software replaces a conglomeration of computers and software packages, saving hours in maintenance and data analysis, and making very longterm tests possible.

Computational Ghost Imaging for Remote Sensing

TBMG-1323404/01/2012

This work relates to the generic problem of remote active imaging; that is, a source illuminates a target of interest and a receiver collects the scattered light off the target to obtain an image. Conventional imaging systems consist of an imaging lens and a high-resolution detector array [e.g., a CCD (charge coupled device) array] to register the image. However, conventional imaging systems for remote sensing require high-quality optics and need to support large detector arrays and associated electronics. This results in suboptimal size, weight, and power consumption.

Computational Ghost Imaging for Remote Sensing

TBMG-TB-01323404/01/2012

Ghost imaging is used in encryption, remote sensing, and biomedical imaging applications. This work relates to the generic problem of remote active imaging; that is, a source illuminates a target of interest and a receiver collects the scattered light off the target to obtain an image. Conventional imaging systems consist of an imaging lens and a high-resolution detector array [e.g., a CCD (charge coupled device) array] to register the image. However, conventional imaging systems for remote sensing require high-quality optics and need to support large detector arrays and associated electronics. This results in suboptimal size, weight, and power consumption.

SAE Electric Vehicle and Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Coupler

J1772_201202 (Historical)02/21/2012

This SAE Recommended Practice covers the general physical, electrical, functional and performance requirements to facilitate conductive charging of EV/PHEV vehicles in North America. This document defines a common EV/PHEV and supply equipment vehicle conductive charging method including operational requirements and the functional and dimensional requirements for the vehicle inlet and mating connector.

Hybrid - EV Committee

CCD Camera Lens Interface for Real-Time Theodolite Alignment

TBMG-1264901/01/2012

Theodolites are a common instrument in the testing, alignment, and building of various systems ranging from a single optical component to an entire instrument. They provide a precise way to measure horizontal and vertical angles. They can be used to align multiple objects in a desired way at specific angles. They can also be used to reference a specific location or orientation of an object that has moved. Some systems may require a small margin of error in position of components. A theodolite can assist with accurately measuring and/or minimizing that error.

NASA Awards 2010 Software of the Year

TBMG-1109209/01/2011

The Kepler mission Science Operations Center Science Pipeline Release 6.0 software system was named 2010 NASA Software of the Year by the NASA Software Advisory Panel. Designed, developed, and operated by the Kepler Science Operations Center (SOC) at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Moffett Field, CA, the SOC software system is used to find Earth-sized planets using photometric data acquired from the

Multispectral Imaging Broadens Cellular Analysis

TBMG-813507/01/2010

How does life begin and evolve? Does life exist elsewhere in the universe? What is the future of life on Earth and beyond?

Measuring Contact Angles of a Sessile Drop and Imaging Convection Within It

TBMG-TB-00723101/29/2010

Ordinary and laser-shadowgraph images yield valuable information. Figure 1 depicts an apparatus that simultaneously and synchronously records magnified ordinary top-view video images and laser-shadowgraph video images of a sessile drop. The real-time values of contact angle and rate of evaporation of the drop as functions of time can be calculated from the apparent diameters of the drop in the sequences of the images. In addition, the shadowgraphs contain flow patterns indicative of thermocapillary convection (if any) within the drop. These time-dependent parameters and flow patterns are important for understanding the physical processes involved in the spreading of evaporating liquids in such diverse technological applications as coating (including painting), film cooling, processing of materials, lubrication, and boiling. Study of the spreading of drops can also contribute to understanding of the spreading of biological cells.

SAE Electric Vehicle and Plug in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Conductive Charge Coupler

J1772_201001 (Historical)01/15/2010

This SAE Recommended Practice covers the general physical, electrical, functional and performance requirements to facilitate conductive charging of EV/PHEV vehicles in North America. This document defines a common EV/PHEV and supply equipment vehicle conductive charging method including operational requirements and the functional and dimensional requirements for the vehicle inlet and mating connector.

Hybrid - EV Committee

Machinery & Equipment Category Winner

TBMG-506304/01/2009

Cell-Detection Technique for Automated Patch Clamping

TBMG-280205/01/2008

A unique and customizable machine-vision and image-data-processing technique has been developed for use in automated identification of cells that are optimal for patch clamping. [Patch clamping (in which patch electrodes are pressed against cell membranes) is an electrophysiological technique widely applied for the study of ion channels, and of membrane proteins that regulate the flow of ions across the membranes. Patch clamping is used in many biological research fields such as neurobiology, pharmacology, and molecular biology.] While there exist several hardware techniques for automated patch clamping of cells, very few of those techniques incorporate machine vision for locating cells that are ideal subjects for patch clamping. In contrast, the present technique is embodied in a machine-vision algorithm that, in practical application, enables the user to identify “good” and “bad” cells for patch clamping in an image captured by a charge-coupled-device (CCD) camera attached to a

Medical X-Ray Imaging System Improves Patient Diagnosis

TBMG-1346403/01/2008

For more than 40 years, Italray srl (Florence, Italy) has manufactured radiological equipment for traditional and digital medical applications, as well as computer-assisted systems dedicated to radiological purposes. The company’s solutions — which range from simple mobile x-ray equipment to complete radiology/ fluoroscopy diagnostic installations for traditional and digital radiology applications and angiography — are used in hospitals, universities, private research centers, and nursing homes in Europe and other parts of the world.

Combining Multimode Emissions from Broad Area Laser Diodes into Single-Mode Spots without Feedback

TBMG-1115201/01/2008

Broad-area laser diodes are the most efficient coherent light sources and are widely used today. The extraordinary efficiency, modulation easiness, availability to virtually any wavelength and compactness are the principle drives stimulating the development of light sources based on laser diodes. However, due to fundamental limitations of laser diode gain medium, the emission from laser diodes has a major drawback — the emission is not spatially coherent. In other words laser diode light is often seen as a light bulb emission that cannot be focused in a diffraction limited spot of λ/2 or easily transmitted as a narrow beam. Despite the fact that kilowatts of multimode power can be easily extracted from a laser diode array, the resulting single-lobe single-element power from a laser diode is always limited by a value of several watts. Many applications are waiting for a spatially coherent laser diode source offering power from 1 to 100W. The potential substitution of YAG and fiber

A New Calibration Method for Digital 3D Profilometry System

2007-01-138004/16/2007

Recently the use of digital 3D profilometry in the automotive industries has become increasingly popular. The effective techniques for 3D shape measurement, especially for the measurement of complicated structures, have become more and more significant. Different optical inspective methods, such as 3D profilometry, laser scanning and Coordinate-Measuring Machine (CMM), have been applied for 3D shape measurement. Among these methods, 3D profilometry seems to be the fastest and inexpensive method with considerably accurate result, and it has simple setup and full field measuring ability compared with other techniques. In this paper, a novel calibration method for 3D-profilometry will be introduced. In this method, a multiple-step calibration procedure is utilized and best-fit calibration curves are obtained to improve measurement accuracy. A recursive algorithm is used for data evaluation, along with calibration data. Sources of measuring errors are discussed and solutions are suggested

Liu, Sheng, Samala, Praveen R., Zhu, Zhaojing, Yang, Lianxiang

CCDs Find Applications in Diverse Space MissionsCCDs Find Applications in Diverse Space Missions

TBMG-56208/01/2006

Charge coupled device (CCD) image sensors e2v Technologies Elmsford, NY 914-593-6841

How to Improve Productivity in Wheel Casting Plants Using Real-Time X-Ray in the Loop?

2006-01-147604/03/2006

Until now, old-fashioned industrial x-ray technology providers didn't solve their customer's real problem: increasing productivity by preventing defects instead of finding defects that were produced. The idea to build quality by inspection is wrong and the results are poor quality and high costs. Dr. W. Edwards Deming is best known for his work in Japan, which commenced in 1950, and created a revolution in quality and economic production. We adopted his approach - build quality by prevention of defects - by understanding and tuning up the manufacturing process, and focusing on the cause of the defects. Using feedback from the x-ray machine, casting machines are tuned up to produce fewer defects, the main objective of any casting plant (see Figure 1).

Two-Reference Beam Double-Pulsed Holographic Interferometry with Direct Phase Measurement in Transient Processes Study

2006-01-076904/03/2006

Holographic interferometry has been successfully employed to characterize both static and dynamic behavior of diverse types of structure under stress. Double-exposure pulsed holographic interferometry has been extensively used in performing the vibration analysis and qualitative investigations of deformation of the non-stationary objects. One of the most important advantages of this technique is that it can be used for quantitative measurements of the transient processes (e.g. shock wave propagation). However, in conventional double-pulsed interferometry it is sometimes difficult to get phase information from a single set of holograms. Applying two-reference beam recording set-up to double-exposure pulsed holographic interferometry makes it possible to obtain phase-shifted interferograms from a single interferogram of the tested object and retrieve the phase information for OPD (optical path difference) map creation. Two-reference beam double-pulsed Ruby laser holographic

Grabovskyy, Vitaliy, Yashnyk, Viktor

Accurate Measurement of PVT Data for PP/Gas and TPO/Gas Mixtures

2006-01-050604/03/2006

Foaming of a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) is gaining interests because of its superior mechanical properties of foamed automotive parts, such as lightweight and high performance to weight ratio, etc. In this context, understanding of the thermophysical properties of PP/gas and TPO/gas mixtures is critically important. This paper will present the newly developed experimental technique to accurately measure the swelling of PP and TPO due to gas dissolution at elevated temperatures and pressures. Our technique measures the geometry of the pendent drop accurately from the captured images to obtain the volume swelling data. It determines the boundary location of the polymer/gas sample accurately by magnifying the sample drop locally along its edge before capturing the image. The automated high-precision XY stage is chosen as the platform to control the motion of the CCD camera. Those images are reconstructed into one big image in the virtual domain based on the original pixel coordinates

Li, Y. G., Li, H. B., Park, C. B.

Progress in Insect-Inspired Optical Navigation Sensors

TBMG-60110/01/2005

Progress has been made in continuing efforts to develop optical flight-control and navigation sensors for miniature robotic aircraft. The designs of these sensors are inspired by the designs and functions of the vision systems and brains of insects. Two types of sensors of particular interest are polarization compasses and ocellar horizon sensors. The basic principle of polarization compasses was described (but without using the term “polarization compass”) in “Insect-Inspired Flight Control for Small Flying Robots” (NPO-30545), NASA Tech Briefs, Vol. 29, No. 1 (January 2005), page 61. To recapitulate: Bees use sky polarization patterns in ultraviolet (UV) light, caused by Rayleigh scattering of sunlight by atmospheric gas molecules, as direction references relative to the apparent position of the Sun. A robotic direction-finding technique based on this concept would be more robust in comparison with a technique based on the direction to the visible Sun because the UV polarization

Stellar Gyroscope for Determining Attitude of a Spacecraft

TBMG-51810/01/2005

A paper introduces the concept of a stellar gyroscope, currently at an early stage of development, for determining the attitude or spin axis, and spin rate of a spacecraft. Like star trackers, which are commercially available, a stellar gyroscope would capture and process images of stars to determine the orientation of a spacecraft in celestial coordinates. Star trackers utilize charge coupled devices as image detectors and are capable of tracking attitudes at spin rates of no more than a few degrees per second and update rates typically <5 Hz. In contrast, a stellar gyroscope would utilize an active pixel sensor as an image detector and would be capable of tracking attitude at a slew rate as high as 50°/s, with an update rate as high as 200 Hz. Moreover, a stellar gyroscope would be capable of measuring a slew rate up to 420°/s. Whereas a Sun sensor and a three-axis mechanical gyroscope are typically needed to complement a star tracker, a stellar gyroscope would function without them

Integrated Pointing and Signal Detector for Optical Receiver

TBMG-72703/01/2005

A design concept for the receiver portion of a proposed free-space optical communication terminal calls for integration of its communication and pointing detectors. As explained below, this would entail a departure from prior designs, in which pointing and communication detectors have been separate.

Compact Instrument for Measuring Profile of a Light Beam

TBMG-2930811/01/2004

The beamviewer is an optical device designed to be attached to a charge-coupled-device (CCD) image detector for measuring the spatial distribution of intensity of a beam of light (the "beam profile ") at a designated plane intersecting the beam. The beamviewer-and-CCD combination is particularly well suited for measuring the radiant-power profile (for a steady beam) or the radiant-energy profile (for a pulsed beam) impinging on the input face or emerging from the output face of a bundle of optical fibers. The beamviewer-and-CCD combination could also be used as a general laboratory instrument for profiling light beams, including beams emerging through small holes and laser beams in free space.

Fabrication of Robust, Flat, Thinned, UVImaging CCDs

TBMG-2922604/01/2004

An improved process that includes a high-temperature bonding subprocess has been developed to enable the fabrication of robust, flat, silicon-based charge-coupled devices (CCDs) for imaging in ultraviolet (UV) light and/or for detecting low energy charged particles. The CCDs in question are devices on which CCD circuitry has already been formed and have been thinned for back-surface illumination. These CCDs may be delta doped, and aspects of this type of CCD have been described in several prior articles in NASA Tech Briefs. Unlike prior low-temperature bonding subprocesses based on the use of epoxies or waxes, the high-temperature bonding subprocess is compatible with the delta-doping process as well as with other CCD-fabrication processes.

Development of a Wiper System with Piezoelectric Element for CCD Camera

2003-01-020003/03/2003

We succeeded in creating of a very small wiper system for a CCD camera. The source of driving force of it is a vibration phenomenon of a piezoelectric element. In this paper, we will describe the structure and motion of our newly proposed wiper system and the fundamental motion of a piezoelectric element in it. And in order to clarify the driving principle, we carried out a theoretical analysis using the Principle of Hamilton. As a result, a driving mechanism was found, that is, when the blade displaces at a high angular velocity into one direction, the shaft rotates in the opposite direction. We were able to confirm the driving mechanism also by experiments.

Tsukui, Michio, Saito, Junichi, Suto, Kenji, Yoshizawa, Masatsugu, Maeda, Takeshi, Iwai, Riki, Takatsuka, Kohro

Optical Near Field Measurements and Ray-Tracing Simulations of Coated and Uncoated Halogen Lamps for Glare Analysis

2003-01-092903/03/2003

Automotive lamps for headlights are constantly reevaluated for causes of glare issues. Lead wires, glass, sockets and even filaments reflect and/or scatter the light from the filament into undesired directions, possibly causing glare. The best way to account for scattered light in the design process is to measure the near field radiation pattern. A high-resolution camera on a goniometer is used to characterize the headlamp. The results are further analyzed in an optical ray-tracing package. This paper will look at the new double filament lamp (H13) in respect to glare as well as the effect of “cool blue” absorption coatings. Measurements of the emission patterns of the lamps with and without coating are compared. A ray-tracing model will simulate the effect of the coating and amplify the effect to determine how much increase in scattering is necessary to cause a glare problem. The goal is to show that the measured effect of absorption coatings on lamps is too small to cause glare.

Tessnow, Thomas, Reiners, Thomas, Hering, Oliver

Theodolite With CCD Camera for Safe Measurement of Laser-Beam Pointing

TBMG-2937201/01/2003

The simple addition of a charge-coupled-device (CCD) camera to a theodolite makes it safe to measure the pointing direction of a laser beam. The present state of the art requires this to be a custom addition because theodolites are manufactured without CCD cameras as standard or even optional equipment.

Capillary Tube Refactometer: A Novel Method for Measuring the Refractive Index of Crude Oil

2002-01-222107/09/2002

A novel method for measuring the refractive index of crude oils is described. The method involves the use of a simple optical capillary tube and is based on measuring transverse interference patterns in transmission permitting accuracy in the fringe spacing measurement of up to ½λ of the laser beam used. Because the diameter of the capillary tube is small the interference pattern becomes exceptionally visible in transmission making the method suitable for opaque liquids such as crude oils. The concept of the method and its theoretical model can be developed to operate in reflection as well which, in turn, makes it a promising tool in remote sensing applications such as the identification of crude oil spills based on their refractive indices.

El Ghandoor, H., Hegazi, E., Nasser, Ibraheem, Behery, G. M.

3D Vision Systems for Active Safety

2002-01-130603/04/2002

A new and innovative approach for 3D vision systems is presented. The systems can be used not only for the acquisition of 3D distance images, but also for the acquisition of the corresponding 2D gray-scale images. Silicon imagers which are based on so-called photonic mixer devices are the key components. Photonic mixer devices (PMD) represent a new kind of active pixel sensors (APS), fabricated in CMOS technology. With a PMD camera an entire 3D-scene can be monitored. Therefore, PMD technology offers high potential for automotive applications with respect to both active and passive safety. Conti Temic is developing an occupant detection system as a first application of a PMD camera. Further applications, such as traffic environment perception, can benefit from the new opportunities of 3D-vision and are already being considered.

Riedel, H., Dahl, A. v., Lang, Chr., Zywitza, F., Marian, S.

Liquid-Crystal Phase-Shifting Shearing Interferometer

TBMG-2940003/01/2002

The liquid-crystal phase-shifting shearing interferometer is a common-path interferometer based partly on a lateral-shear-plate interferometer. It bears a partial similarity to the liquid-crystal point-diffraction interferometer (LCPDI), which is also of the common-path type. The phase-shifting nature of this interferometer is expected to increase (relative to prior shearing interferometers) resolution by up to two orders of magnitude. The liquid-crystal phase-shifting shearing interferometer is expected to be useful for measuring spatially varying optical density in a laboratory or manufacturing setting; examples of such densities include the index of refraction of a liquid in a production process, the density and/or temperature of a gas in a combustion system, and the temperature of a fluid in a boiler.

A Camera Based Solution for Dynamic Measurements

2001-01-347010/01/2001

This paper presents a new contact less 6D motion measuring system for automotive test bench instrumentation. The measurement device is based on three linear CCD cameras, which are mounted on a fixed rigid structure. These three linear CCD cameras can track the 3DOF position of IR emitting LED's in the environment. Combining three LED's on one rigid body allows calculating the 6DOF position (positions and orientations) of a rigid body. Position and orientation of multiple objects in space are measured on-line. The measurement principle is explained together with three case studies: A suspension testing system An exhaust pipe deformation test system Quasi static car body deformations Using these three case studies, the requirements for such a system are explained both from a hardware and a software point of view.

Transverse Interference Pattern for the Examination of Spliced Optical Fibers (In Transmission and at Reflection)

2001-01-332810/01/2001

The transverse interference pattern from a fusion-spliced optical fiber is obtained by illuminating the fiber with a laser sheet of light. The buckling on the fiber material in one direction of the spliced point is clear inside the transverse interference pattern. The buckling height ranges from 1 to 10 microns in a waveguide of a 50-micron core and 125 micron clad diameters. The refractive index profile inside the fiber core is calculated using a new method showing the change in the refractive index due to fusion splicing of the fiber. The refractive index profile is calculated by means of the transverse interference patterns obtained at different illumination directions. A CCD camera is used to record the transverse interference pattern from the fusion-spliced optical fiber. In order to calculate the visibility of the obtained fringe patterns and the deflection angle of light through the fiber (displaying the change in the refractive index) it is necessary to measure the fringe

El-Ghandoor, H., Behery, G. M., Nasser, Ibraheem, Al-Shukri, A., Rahman, M. Abd-El

Analysis test bench for spray characteristics

2001-24-005809/23/2001

This paper describes an experimental bench for a non-intrusive characterization of fuel sprays. The characterization is obtained by computer analysis of the fuel spray images acquired using a high-resolution CCD camera. The bench has been developed by AEA for Siemens Automotive, in collaboration with Siemens' R&D staff and Perugia University researchers. Two different techniques have been implemented to obtain the jet images. The main target of this paper is the comparison of the results obtained using the two different methodologies of analysis.

Marassi, L., De Grassi, A., Grimaldi, C. N., Postrioti, L., Salvini, M.

Back-Illuminated CCDs With Integral Ultraviolet-Pass Filters

TBMG-2956907/01/2001

Efforts are under way to develop back-surface-illuminated, thinned silicon charge-coupled devices (CCDs) with delta doping and integral optical filters to be used as image detectors in the ultraviolet wavelength range. The concept of delta doping of back-surface-illuminated, thinned silicon CCDs as part of an overall design to make CCDs sensitive to ultraviolet light is not new in itself. Delta-doped CCDs were invented at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 1992, and it is well established that this process produces ultraviolet-sensitive CCDs with stable and uniform 100-percent internal quantum efficiency. The novelty lies in the proposed fabrication of such CCDs in which both delta doping and optical filter layers would be deposited as integral parts of unitary device structures.

Estimation of Road Configuration and Vehicle Attitude by Lane Detection for a Lane-Keeping System

2001-01-079903/05/2001

This paper describes an image processing system for tracking a traffic lane by recognizing white lines on the road ahead. The system utilizes the features of the white lines and the Hough transformation to detect white line candidate points in images taken with a CCD camera. The parameters of the road configuration and vehicle attitude are estimated with an extended Kalman filter. This system has been applied to achieve a lane-keeping assistance system that provides steering control based on the host vehicle’s lateral position in its lane.

Tsuji, Masafumi, Shirato, Ryota, Furusho, Hiroshi, Akutagawa, Kiyoshi

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