Abbas Dehghani

Real-time automated visual inspection system for contaminant removal from wool

In the textile industry, scoured wool contains different types of foreign materials (contaminants) that need to be separated out before it goes into further processing, so that the textile machines are protected from damage and the quality of the final woollen products is ensured. This paper presents an automated visual inspection (AVI) system for detecting and sorting contaminants from wool in real time. The techniques were first developed in the lab and subsequently applied to a large-scale factory system. The combinative use of image processing algorithms in RGB and HSV colour spaces can segment 96% of contaminant types (minimum size around 4cm long and 5mm in diameter) in real-time on the lab test rig. One of the most important aspects of the system is to use the non-linear colour space transformation and merge the threshold algorithm in HSV colour space into the image processing algorithms in RGB colour space to enhance the contaminant identification in real time. The real-time capability of the system is also analysed in detail. The experimental results demonstrate that the factory AVI system could identify and remove the contaminants at a camera speed of around 800 lines/s and the conveyor speed of 20m/min in real time.

Development of a mechatronic sorting system for removing contaminants from wool

Automated visual inspection (AVI) systems have been extended to many fields, such as agriculture and the food, plastic and textile industries. Generally, most visual systems only inspect product defects, and then analyze and grade them due to the lack of any sorting function. This main reason rests with the difficulty of using the image data in real time. However, it is increasingly important to either sort good products from bad or grade products into separate groups using AVI systems. This article describes the development of a mechatronic sorting system and its integration with a vision system for automatically removing contaminants from wool in real time. The integration is implemented by a personal computer, which continuously processes live images under the Windows 2000 operating system. The developed real-time sorting approach is also applicable to many other AVI systems.

Modelling & control of a bidirectional converter for a standalone photovoltaic power plant

The paper presents an investigation of a DC/DC bidirectional converter. A new state-space model has been developed to analyse the bidirectional current flow characteristics. This model has been incorporated into a simulation program for a stand-alone photovoltaic plant that includes a lead-acid battery for energy storage. An integrated control system is developed and evaluated in the simulated system. Results show that the model is accurate and offers a significant improvement in the computational efficiency.

Intelligent Prosthesis – a Biomechatronics Approach

Systems are becoming more and more complex and there is an ever increasing need to address all relevant issues beginning with the initial conceptual design stage. If a complex system having precision mechanical components, electronic circuitry and control software is considered in detail, it is appreciated that there is a close relation and interaction between these elements in the system. Consider a complex mechatronic system having all of the aspects referred to above and which is going to be used in association with a complex biological system. In this case, there needs to be a close relationship with and interaction between the biological system and the mechatronic system, requiring that a biomechatronic approach is adopted in its design and development. Such an approach could also be used in other instances such as the design and development of complex mobile robots2. The human body combines intelligence with sophisticated sensors and actuators, making it the most logical source of inspiration and study when designing and developing many intelligent systems.

Identification of White Contaminants and Their Removal from Wool Fibers

This paper describes the research approach to identify the contaminants which have similar color to the background wool and their removal from wool in real time. First, different light source is sought for getting the high contrast image between wool and contaminants. Second, different CCD detector including infrared camera, monochrome area scan camera was tried for identification of white contaminants. Relative infrared theory and spectral theory are also presented. Third, different image processing algorithms including threshold in HSV color space, local adaptive threshold, region-growing algorithm and their comparisons are presented. The combination of local adaptive threshold and global threshold algorithms can well identify most of white contaminants. At last, a research approach on contaminant removal from wool by the image processing algorithm in real time is presented. Both software and hardware approach are reported.

Bio-inspiration for a Miniature Robot Inside the Abdomen

Intra-body mobility is a promising and challenging development for future surgical robots. This poster presents the bio-inspired features of a novel intra-abdominal robot. This new development is adhesion-reliant and moves against gravity on the inside wall of the human abdomen. The adhesive pads on the robot use a micro-structured surface inspired by tree frogs to obtain wet adhesion. The robot integrates a detachment mechanism inspired by the way geckoes peel off their toes. Locomotion is inspired by amoebas, changing the shape of the robot’s body and alternating adhesion between the moving part of the robot and the part that remains still.

Locomotion selection and mechanical design for a mobile intra-abdominal adhesion-reliant robot for minimally invasive surgery

Miniaturisation of surgical robots combined with bio-inspired adhesive material offer the possibility of a device able to move stably inside the body. In this paper a miniature adhesion-reliant robot is proposed as an alternative to current cumbersome, externally anchored surgical robots. An effective locomotion strategy is selected according to the specific working environment of this application. This environment is the ceiling of the insufflated human abdomen during laparoscopic surgery. Having chosen the most appropriate actuation technology in the market (piezo-electricity), the mechanical design to implement the former locomotion strategy is demonstrated.

Effect of Silica on the Electrical Properties of Epoxy of Phenolic Resin/Carbon Black/Silica Composite Coating

Nanocomposites were prepared by embedding carbon black and silica into phenolic resin matrix, which was supported by SEM and particle size analyses. After milling stage, the obtained hybrids were applied to transparency film using K control coater. By the crosslinking procedure, homogenous surface coatings can be achievable. The electrical properties of surface coating can be tailored by variation of silica content with the amount of carbon black fixed. The conductivity of the surface coating increases steeply and then reaches a plateau with the increase of silica. When the weight ratio of silica to carbon black is around 1:2, relatively high conductivity can be desirable. Further increase in silica results in the decrease in conductivity. This can be interpreted in terms of aided or blocked dispersion effects on carbon black imposed by silica. Also, the uniformity of the film is verified by Si-mapping analysis.

Vision system for auto-detection of cashmere pigmented fibers

The traditional method for the evaluation of cashmere quality is subjective and low in accuracy. In this paper, a computer vision system is presented for the objective identification and classification of pigmented fibres, which consists of a web maker, an image acquisition system and a computer for image processing. The techniques of fibre preparation, image acquisition and the development of suitable algorithm together with software for removal of the background fibres and counting of pigmented fibres, are described in detail.