Saburo Okada

Machine vision for detection of the rescue target in the marine casualty

In marine rescue, the detection of the target such as life rafts depends on the visual search by man as yet. However, human eyes are sometimes inadequate owing to a long flight and wide views. In order to carry out the prompt rescue of human life, development of the searching system in place of the human eyes is surely required. This paper deals with a new search method for detection of the rescue target using image processing techniques. To detect the small target in the wide views over the sea, we have proposed a new method including the image processing techniques based on the color information and the composite image sensor which increases about the measurement accuracy and the image processing speed at actual field. At the first step of the study, we attempt to extract the image data of the rescue target with the orange color in an experimental sea.<<ETX>>

Detection of a particular object from environmental images under various conditions

In a current study of environmental information, it is important to detect the particular object from environmental images under various conditions for security such as navigation system of ships, bird-watching for the prevention of various damage, invaders check and human rescue in the marine casualty. This paper deals with the image processing techniques for the detection of the rescue target as a particular object from environmental images. When a marine casualty occurs the detection of the rescue target such as life rafts depends on the visual search of human eyes. It is predicted, however, that human eyes sometimes lose their sight and the ability of the detection falls owing to the long flight and a bad weather. For a practical purpose of the prompt rescue of human life, the development of the searching support system in place of human eyes is required. To realize a new type searching system for the detection of the rescue target, the development of new type image processing techniques in real time manner is important. At the first step of our study, we attempt to develop image processing techniques, in order to accurately detect the rescue target under various.

Image processing technique for detection of a particular object from motion images

This paper deals with the detection of the rescue target as a particular object from motion images under bad weather conditions. When shipwrecks occur, the searching activities for rescue is done using an airplane. The detection of the rescue target such as life rafts depends on a visual search by human eyes. To detect a small rescue target in a wide sea area, the searching man must monitor motion sights under nasty weather. The human eyes sometimes loses its sight and the ability of detection fails owing to the long flight and the nasty weather. To support the searching activities in the case of a marine casualty, we propose motion image processing techniques using the improved S/N ratio and dynamic range of the image data of the rescue target in the motion images under bad conditions.

Detection of a particular object from motion images under bad condition

This paper deals with the detection of the rescue target as a particular object from motion images under bad conditions. When shipwrecks occur, the search activities of rescue are done using an airplane. The detection of the rescue target such as a life raft depends on visual search of human eyes. To detect a small rescue target in the wide sea, the searcher man must monitor motion sights in nasty weather. In order to carry out the prompt rescue of human life, development of searching support system using image processing techniques in place of the human eye is required It is very difficult to process the motion images taken by the airplane, because these images are inferior due to shaking of the airplane, sunshine reflections and crest waves under bad conditions. We make a simulation experiment for detection of the rescue target from images. To get basic design data for development of the searching system in the case of a marine casualty, we propose motion image processing techniques using improved S/N ratio and dynamic range of the image data of the rescue target in the motion images under bad conditions.

3-D shape measurement of free-form machined surfaces by optical ring imaging system

The purpose of this paper is to develop an advanced 3-D profile sensor system which will be able to accurately measure 3-D free-form machined metal surfaces. The proposed sensor system has many advantages as compared with conventional measuring systems. First, a new detecting system of optical ring images utilized by the rotating image detector is developed to measure 3-D profiles in the long measuring range with high accuracy. Second, processing time can be shortened within 0.5 second by using the proposed detecting system. Third, the speckle noise is eliminated effectively by the rotating mechanism. Finally, it is concluded that this sensor system makes it possible to measure the profiles within an accuracy of /spl plusmn/50 /spl mu/m in the measuring range of 100 mm. In this paper, the measurement principle of the proposed sensor system is analyzed and the performance of the system is experimentally measured and discussed not only for both diffuse reflection surface and specular reflection surface, but also for reduction of the laser speckle noise which has direct influence on the measurement accuracy.

Development of Image Processing Technique for Detection of the Rescue Target in the Marine Casualty

When a marine casualty occurs, the detection of the rescue target such as life rafts depends on the visual search of humans eye. It is predicted, however, that human eye sometimes loses its sight and ability of detection falls down owing to the long flight and the nasty weather. For a practical purpose of the prompt rescue of human life, development of searching support system in place of human eye is surely required. To realize the detection of the small rescue target in the wide sea, we propose a new searching system using image processing techniques based on the color information. The searching system consists of a visual sensor, an equipment of image processing and a knowledge database. Integration of these parts enables us to detect the rescue target accurately no matter how bad the condition is. At the first step of our study, we attempt the development of image processing techniques to detect accurately the rescue target under the various weather conditions.

Schema spectral analysis

A static analysis method to show the hardness of functions for GAs is shown. It is similar to the Fourier spectral analysis. In the function space, the given function is decomposed to components; each component is a function which concerns only alleles at a combination of loci. Using this decomposition and random functions, we can make functions of various hardness for GAs.

Automatic identification of conveyer-transferred parts through image data processing

To automate assembly lines, we have tested and evaluated various methods on part discrimination for a model conveyer line. An advanced method is developed on tracking and picking up a specified part among a variety of parts on a moving conveyer. The method consists of a part shape discrimination analysis following the image processing of CCD camera shots for on-conveyer parts. The fuzzy inference method has been founded to be the best one for the part discrimination. The arm control without stopping the conveyer line has been realized only by giving the timings of the arm start-up from waiting position and the arm deceleration to keep the same speed of the conveyer.<<ETX>>

Diagnosing Abnormal Operating Conditions of Rotational Machineries and Machine Tools with Physical Wavelets

Any real-time diagnosis of machinery systems is imperative to prevent their malfunctions. One of such promising diagnoses is first to regard any signal taken from the machinery operation as the time series data. We then think of the series itself expressing the displacement under the influence of an external force F. The time rate variables of the series are velocity V and acceleration A that is proportional to F. Under this force F, if the system makes any changes, its kinetic energy KE also changes. The time rate change of KE is the power PW, which is proportional to the product of V and A. The PW is very sensitive to any subtle change in F that controls the system dynamics. We generalize the method to obtain these physical variables from the time series with physical wavelets. The wavelets are the windows through which we selectively view the series and its rate variables in the frequency region confined within each wavelet width. Any subtle change in F will appear on the selective correlation of V and A. The change in F that may lead to the malfunction of the systems will sometimes start at the order of 0.01%, which is often comparable to adverse noise. Even with this noise, however, the selective correlation will identify the small change leading to the malfunction. It can also predict the abnormal operating condition to control the system adoptively. We further make the physical wavelet orthogonal to each other in order to reconstruct the state space. In the space, we then draw a trajectory from the time series, which will reveal the physical dynamics of the operating conditions. This reconstruction is similar to so called time delay embedding in Chaos analysis. Their bases chosen to reconstruct the state space, however, have no direct physical meaning. An example of the diagnoses and prognoses on a drilling machine tool by using the physical wavelets is discussed in detail.

Noncontact 3D shape inspection based on optical ring imaging system

The purpose of this paper is to develop a non-contact profile sensor system which will be able to accurately measure 3D free-form machined metal surfaces. The proposed sensor system has many advantages as compared with conventional measuring systems. First, a new detecting system of optical ring images utilized by rotating image detector is developed to measure 3D profiles in the long measuring range with high accuracy. Second, processing time can be shortened within 0.5 second by using the proposed detecting system. Third, the speckle noise is eliminated effectively by the rotating mechanism. Finally, it is concluded that this sensor system makes it possible to measure the profiles within an accuracy of +/- 50 micrometers in the measuring range of 150 mm. In this paper, the measurement principle of the proposed sensor system is analyzed and the performance of the system is experimentally measured and discussed not only for both diffuse reflection surface and specular reflection surface, but also for reduction of the laser speckle noise which has direct influence on the measurement accuracy.