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An invisible-stylus-based coordinate measurement system via scaled orthographic projection

Published

Author(s)

Joshua A. Gordon, Steven S. Borenstein

Abstract

We present on a simple yet effective method for creating an invisible stylus from which a non-contact 3-D coordinated measuring system (the PiCMS) is realized. This invisible stylus dubbed a Pixel Probe is created through the orthographic projection of a spherical mounted reflector (SMR) through a trifocal camera system. Through this, a single point in space that is linked to a laser tracker world frame is mapped to a unique set of pixel coordinates in the trifocal camera creating the Pixel Probe. The system is constructed through the union of a Pixel Probe, a laser tracker, and calibrated XYZ stage, and does not require contact to obtain a measurement. In the current configuration, system resolution and accuracy better than 20 μm is demonstrated on objects in the meso/micro scale that are well below the range of a laser tracker alone. A simple single-point coincidence condition allows the user to specify a measurement coordinate by pointing-and-clicking in the images captured by the Pixel Probe. We describe this system using multi-view geometry vision theory and present proof of concept measurement examples of 2-D and 3-D objects.
Citation
Precision Engineering-Journal of the International Societies for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology

Keywords

Coordinate Measuring Machine, Laser Tracker, Spatial Metrology, Non-Contact Metrology, Machine Vision, Imaging, Spherical Mirror Reflector

Citation

Gordon, J. and Borenstein, S. (2018), An invisible-stylus-based coordinate measurement system via scaled orthographic projection, Precision Engineering-Journal of the International Societies for Precision Engineering and Nanotechnology, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=925863 (Accessed October 17, 2025)

Issues

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Created December 8, 2018, Updated April 12, 2019
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