An apparatus and method for determining the volume, form and weight of fish or other objects is presented. A linescan camera records a top view of an object and at the same time records a profile view of the object reflected by a mirror located adjacent to the object. The mirror is positioned to reflect a view of the object which is perpendicular to the direct view of the camera and to the direction of motion of a conveyor belt along which the object moves. As the object moves along a conveyor belt through the field of view of the camera, a number of cross-sectional images are recorded and transmitted to a microprocessor. The microprocessor determines the maximum width of each cross-section from the direct image and the maximum thickness from each cross-section reflected image. Based upon the width and height of each cross-section and a form factor and estimated object density, the microprocessor calculates volume ane weight for each cross-section and adds the series of object cross-sections together to determine a volume and weight of the object.

Apparatus and method for determining the volume, form and weight of objects

Image processing system using cameras and image processing techniques to identify undesirable objects on roller conveyor lines. The cameras above the conveyor capture images of the passing objects. The roller background information is removed and images of the objects remain. To analyze each individual object accurately, the adjacent objects are isolated and small noisy residue fragments are removed. A spherical optical transform and a defect preservation transform preserve any defect levels on objects even below the roller background and compensate for the non-lambertian gradient reflectance on spherical objects at their curvatures and dimensions. Defect segments are then extracted from the resulting transformed images. The size, level, and pattern of the defect segments indicate the degree of defects in the object. The extracted features are fed into a recognition process and a decision making system for grade rejection decisions. The locations in coordinates of the defects generated by a defect allocation function are combined with defect rejection decisions and user parameters to signal appropriate mechanical actions such as to separate objects with defects from those that are defect-free.

Defective object inspection and separation system using image analysis and curvature transformation

A mask fitting system (1) for selecting a mask system for a patient includes at least one terminal (6) which receives data unique to a patient. The patient data can be scanned in using a scanner, such as a handheld or 3-D scanner, or the relevant dimensions of the patient can be simply input into the terminal. A database (2) is provided to store mask system data relating to a plurality of potential mask system solutions for the patient. A communication channel (4) is provided by which the data received by the terminal can be compared with mask system data stored in a mask system database, so as to generate a best-fit mask system result. The best-fit result may include one or more mask system recommendations for the patient.

Mask fitting system and method

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining a three dimensional image of the a moving object by means of reflecting means such as mirrors and a planar beam of light such as a laser light. As the object enters the light a two dimensional image of the object is captured, wherein the image comprises both the reflection of the beam of light from the object and also the reflection from the reflecting means. By transformation procedure a two dimensional image is transformed to a two dimensional object image and based on plurality of such images a three dimensional image is defined from which the volume can be calculated. This can be used to determine the weight distribution of the object, which is important for portioning.

Laser mirror vision

A method and system for optically inspecting parts are provided wherein the system includes a part transfer subsystem including a transfer mechanism adapted to receive and support a part at a loading station and to transfer the supported part so that the part travels along a first path which extends from the loading station to an inspection station at which the part has a predetermined position and orientation for inspection. An illumination assembly simultaneously illuminates a plurality of exterior side surfaces of the part with a plurality of separate beams of radiation. A telecentric lens and detector assembly forms an optical image of at least a portion of each of the illuminated side surfaces of the part and detects the optical images. A processor processes the detected optical images to obtain a plurality of views of the part which are angularly spaced about the axis of the part.

Method and system for optically inspecting parts

A method and apparatus for inspecting appearance of articles while they are transported on a conveyor by reflecting images of four different side surfaces of the article being by means of a plurality of reflecting means arranged above and at both sides of a conveying path on the conveyor to transmit the four images onto a sensor surface of a sensor camera, reflecting an image of a top surface of the article onto the sensor surface of the sensor camera in the array with the four images, and scanning and photographing the images of five different surfaces of the article formed on the sensor surface of the sensor camera by the sensor camera at every preset amount of movement of the article synchronized with the conveyor, and processing the photographed images so as to measure and inspect the form, size and surface conditions of the article by using only one sensor camera at the same time. The method and apparatus can reliably cover five of the six partial surfaces, front and rear, right and left, and upper and lower, of an article, that is, 5/6=83 % of the whole surface of an article in the inspection of surface conditions.

Method and apparatus for inspecting form, size, and surface condition of conveyed articles by reflecting images of four different side surfaces

A method and apparatus for inspecting appearances of artic­les, comprising reflecting images of four different side surfaces of an article (2) being transported on a conveyor (1) on a plurality of reflecting means arranged above and at both sides of a conveying path on the conveyor (1) to transmit the four images onto a sensor surface of a sensor camera (3) respectively, reflecting an image of a top surface of the article (2) onto the sensor surface of the sensor camera in the array with the four images, and scanning and photographing the images of five different surfaces of the article (2) formed on the sensor surface of the sensor camera (3) by the sensor camera (3) at every preset amount of movement of the article (2) synchronized with the conveyor (1), and processing the photographed images so as to measure and inspect forms, sizes and surface conditions of the article (2) by using only one sensor camera (3) at the same time. The method and appara­tus can cover five of the six partial surfaces, front and rear, right and left, and upper and lower, of an article, that is, 5/6 = 83% of the whole surface of an article (2) reliably in the inspection of surface conditions.

Method and apparatus for inspecting the appearances of articles

Method and device for automatically packaging vegetable and fruit

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for sorting fruit and vegetables capable of preventing the occurrence of trouble and erroneous sorting in a discharge operation device section. SOLUTION: The fruit and vegetables 100 placed on many receiving trays 10 individually having color marks are transported in a measuring section and an assorting section along a transportation path 1 of a relatively long distance. The color marks of the receiving trays 10 are read and the prescribed items of the fruit and vegetables are measured in the measuring section. The assorting segments of the fruit and vegetables 100 decided from the results of the measurement are stored in correspondence to the color marks of the receiving trays 10 in an arithmetic unit 3 at every measurement. The color marks of the fruit and vegetable-contg. receiving trays 10 transported to an assorting reader 4 arranged in the position just before the assorting section are read by this reader and the assorting segments corresponding to the color marks stored in the arithmetic unit 3 are read out. Assorting discharge signals are outputted in synchronization with the transportation and movement of the fruit and vegetable-contg. receiving trays from the point of the time of the reading by the assorting reader 4 to the discharge operation device 5 allocated to the read out assorting segments, by which the fruit and vegetables are assorted and discharged together with the receiving trays 10.

Method for sorting fruit and vegetable

PURPOSE:To fairly evaluate classes and to improve the reliability of quality by comparing measured values with the segment values of respective items, determining the stages corresponding to each of the respective items, and deciding the classes in accordance with the total sum of the scores of the respective items. CONSTITUTION:The segment values for segmenting the respective items to plural stages, item by item, concerning the plural measuring items, for example, the sizes, the differences in sizes, bends, S curves, etc., of long eggplants, for the purpose of deciding the classes of the vegetables and fruits 10 are set and the scores are previously set for each of the respective values. The vegetables and fruits 10 transported onto a screening conveyor 1 are subjected to image pickup by a light source 21 and a camera device 2 and the video signals are subjected to image processing by an arithmetic unit 5 which determines the measured values of the respective items, compares the values with the segment values of the items, determines the stages corresponding to each of the items, weights the stages by the degree of importance of the items, determines the total sum of the scores of the respective items and decides the classes. A discharge operating device 3 is selectively operated by the results of the decision to screen the vegetables and fruits onto a drawing out conveyor 4. The reliability of the quality is thus improved.

Suzuki Motofumi

Papers

Method and apparatus for inspecting form, size, and surface condition of conveyed articles by reflecting images of four different side surfaces

Method and apparatus for inspecting the appearances of articles

Method and device for automatically packaging vegetable and fruit

Method for sorting fruit and vegetable

Method for deciding classification of vegetables and fruits