Digital photogrammetry based automatic measurement of sandstone roof of a mine

Automatic close range photogrammetric measurements are of immense importance for a hazardous industry like mining. Unfortunately, available stereomatching techniques fail for high resolution close range images due to the large variation of object depth. In this paper a diffraction grating based laser dot-matrix projector along with a CCD camera is used for automatic close range measurement of a textureless and featureless object like massive sand stone strata. Targeting of object’s surface with large number of laser dots simultaneously solved two major problems: identification of conjugate points and precise image co-ordinate measurement. Least squares based template matching is used for centroid location of images of laser dots which provided 0.03 (mean) pixels accuracy. Using analytical techniques, camera model of the projector was developed by placing it rigidly on the teleseope of a geodimeter Bundle adjustment procedure is adopted for accurate estimation of interior orientation parameters of the projector which resulted precise co-ordinates of the object space during a test scan by the developed system.     

Practical Influences of Geometric and Radiometric Image Quality Provided By Different Digital Camera Systems

Imaging systems founded on current digital camera technology are finding widespread use in high precision measurement applications. A single digital CCD camera, or an array of such cameras, equipped with ring lighting equipment is commonly used to acquire imagery of high contrast retroreflective targets placed on the object at discrete locations to signalize points of interest. The precise and accurate measurement of each imaged target location is a fundamental requirement if suitable measurement tolerances are to be obtained. Whilst such systems are undoubtedly capable of producing excellent results, the practical effects of target image quality on the photogrammetric measurement process is in need of careful consideration. This paper revisits some fundamentals of the optical imaging of retrotargets and investigates some abilities of a range of digital camera systems to provide images of retrotargets that are appropriate to the measurement process. Some experimental results are presented including the imaging of planar arrays of differing sized retrotargets at differing angles and exposures and a series of network analyses in which the level of target image intensity has been varied systematically.     

工业物体表面三维视觉量测的关键技术研究

在总结国内外有关研究的基础上,提出了自己的研究思路,并对缺乏纹理目标的人工纹理产生和影像获取方式进行了研究。对圆目标影像的分割、探测、定位等算法以及利用自检校光束法平差方法解求物方空间坐标、带权观测值的权值给定等作了试验研究。给出了一个解算孔群孔心坐标的应用实例,物方控制点的检查点坐标中误差小于±0.2mm。     

基于结构光和单CCD相机的物体表面三维测量

非接触式物体表面三维自动测量是计算机视觉领域的中心任务之一 ,围绕这个问题 ,提出了一种利用结构光 ,单 CCD相机和双定向技术实现物体表面三维自动测量的新方法。采用该方法 ,无需测定相机和结构光光截面之间的相对位置 ,在单目序列影像上就可测量出物体表面的三维坐标。     

A hybrid measurement approach for close-range photogrammetry

Full automation in close-range photogrammetric measurement has long been a practical reality. However, constraints apply to the process such that automated 3D measurement is generally confined to targeted points in an environment of controlled illumination. The ready availability of consumer-grade digital cameras has made photogrammetric measurement accessible and more widely employed for a host of new applications, the majority of which call for 3D measurement of other than signalized object features. Process automation is therefore typically precluded. This paper discusses a hybrid measurement approach which involves fully automatic network orientation with targets, while at the same time supporting follow-up semi-automatic and manual operations such as feature point and line extraction and surface measurement via image matching. The topics discussed include camera calibration, the metric exploitation of colour attributes, issues related to image point correspondence determination, operator assisted feature measurement and surface extraction. All are important to the practical realisation of the hybrid measurement approach.     

单目图像内静态物体深度的自动测量方法

提出了一种从普通单目相机拍摄的两幅图像中自动获取其中物体深度的方法。该方法首先保持相机的参数不变,相机沿光轴方向移动,在物距为u和u+d处各拍摄一张图像,然后采用局部二值拟合能量(local binary fitting energy, LBF)模型的方法分割出图像中的物体,再将物体像的熵的相对变化率和加权Hu氏不变矩结合起来实现图像内物体的自动匹配,最后运用本文推导的公式计算出各个物体深度。实验结果表明了该方法的有效性。     

The Role of a Digital Intelligent Camera in Automating Industrial Photogrammetry

In the past few years the automation of digital industrial photogrammetric systems has increased dramatically. Due to digital image processing software, coded targets and automatic matching methods, a huge number of photogrammetric measurement tasks can be fully automated. In many cases a "one button click" is enough to provide the three dimensional co-ordinates of measured points without any manual interaction, immediately after acquiring the images. The technology of intelligent cameras is a logical step towards automated photogrammetric measurements. An intelligent camera, which has an integrated computer, analyses the image immediately after it is taken. This technology provides not only a much shorter processing time for the images but also more control over the measurement process just when it is needed, during image acquisition. This takes place in the form of real time feedback.
This paper describes the role of a digital intelligent camera in the automation of an industrial photogrammetric measurement system and gives an overview of existing automation techniques in industrial photogrammetry. As an example of an intelligent camera, the performance of the new INCA digital intelligent camera, developed and manufactured by Geodetic Services, Inc. (GSI) and distributed by Leica, is described.     

一种视觉引导经纬仪自动测量方法

文中将TM5100A经纬仪加载高精度摄像头构造视觉引导测量设备,标定十字丝中心点在像平面坐标系下的坐标,对经纬仪旋转水平角和垂直角与目标图像中心像素坐标之间的关系进行标定;摄像头采集目标图像并处理获取目标中心像素坐标,根据像素坐标与经纬仪旋转角关系计算经纬仪旋转角度,进而实现视觉引导经纬仪自动测量;对加载摄像头的经纬仪驱动误差进行测试,驱动误差允许的情况下测试并分析了视觉引导装置的点位测量精度、角度测量精度以及视觉引导准直测量精度,比人工测量精度高,符合工业测量的需求。     

数字近景摄影测量在工业检测中的应用

论述了利用数字相机与实时数字近景摄影测量技术相结合建立的工业零件检测系统的方法.该方法通过直接线性变换提供的概略初值,由理论严密的自检校光束法平差完成高精度的平差计算的数字近景摄影测量的处理的基本过程,并经后续处理,完成工业目标的自动检测.本系统利用目标点位的概略定位与最小二乘影像匹配相结合,达到目标点位的子像素级的精确配准和数字影像的自动量测技术.这种通过非接触方式建立的工业检测系统在精度、可靠性、灵活性、自动化程度、实时性等方面具有更大的优越性,能较好地满足高精度工业检测的要求.     

Hyper Redundancy for Accuracy Enhancement in Automated Close Range Photogrammetry

A generic network design in close range photogrammetry is one where optimal multi-ray intersection geometry is obtained with as few camera stations as practicable. Hyper redundancy is a concept whereby, once the generic network is in place, many additional images are recorded, with the beneficial impact upon object point precision being equivalent to the presence of multiple exposures at each camera position within the generic network. The effective number of images per station within a hyper redundant network might well be in the range of 10 to 20 or more. As is apparent when it is considered that a hyper redundant network may comprise hundreds of images, the concept is only applicable in practice to fully automatic vision metrology systems, where it proves to be a very effective means of enhancing measurement accuracy at the cost of minimal additional work in the image recording phase. This paper briefly reviews the network design and accuracy aspects of hyper redundancy and illustrates the technique by way of the photogrammetric measurement of surface deformation of a radio telescope of 26 m diameter. This project required an object point measurement accuracy of σ  = 0·065 mm, or 1/400 000 of the diameter of the reflector.     

基于ICP方法缺乏纹理物体三维曲面模型的匹配

对缺乏纹理物体建立三维模型,关键的难度在于缺乏特征点和点的坐标获得。本文采用ICP算法来对物体进行匹配,当特征点不足时,ICP算法是一个很适用的匹配方法,只需要对物体的给定点寻找最近点。为了计算目标点的坐标,利用投影器投射清晰稳定的纹理到缺乏纹理物体的表面,然后CCD相机对物体进行拍摄。通过线检测和空间前方交会解算出物体部分模型表面的空间点;并使用无需控制点的ICP方法对相互重叠的部分模型进行匹配,从而完成物体的三维重建。实验证明ICP方法对缺乏纹理物体的三维曲面匹配有效。     

Evaluation of the geometric stability and the accuracy potential of digital cameras — Comparing mechanical stabilisation versus parameterisation

Recent tests on the geometric stability of several digital cameras that were not designed for photogrammetric applications have shown that the accomplished accuracies in object space are either limited or that the accuracy potential is not exploited to the fullest extent. A total of 72 calibrations were calculated with four different software products for eleven digital camera models with different hardware setups, some with mechanical fixation of one or more parts. The calibration procedure was chosen in accord to a German guideline for evaluation of optical 3D measuring systems [VDI/VDE, VDI/VDE 2634 Part 1, 2002. Optical 3D Measuring Systems–Imaging Systems with Point-by-point Probing. Beuth Verlag, Berlin]. All images were taken with ringflashes which was considered a standard method for close-range photogrammetry. In cases where the flash was mounted to the lens, the force exerted on the lens tube and the camera mount greatly reduced the accomplished accuracy. Mounting the ringflash to the camera instead resulted in a large improvement of accuracy in object space. For standard calibration best accuracies in object space were accomplished with a Canon EOS 5D and a 35 mm Canon lens where the focusing tube was fixed with epoxy (47  μm maximum absolute length measurement error in object space). The fixation of the Canon lens was fairly easy and inexpensive resulting in a sevenfold increase in accuracy compared with the same lens type without modification. A similar accuracy was accomplished with a Nikon D3 when mounting the ringflash to the camera instead of the lens (52  μm maximum absolute length measurement error in object space). Parameterisation of geometric instabilities by introduction of an image variant interior orientation in the calibration process improved results for most cameras. In this case, a modified Alpa 12 WA yielded the best results (29  μm maximum absolute length measurement error in object space). Extending the parameter model with FiBun software to model not only an image variant interior orientation, but also deformations in the sensor domain of the cameras, showed significant improvements only for a small group of cameras. The Nikon D3 camera yielded the best overall accuracy (25  μm maximum absolute length measurement error in object space) with this calibration procedure indicating at the same time the presence of image invariant error in the sensor domain. Overall, calibration results showed that digital cameras can be applied for an accurate photogrammetric survey and that only a little effort was sufficient to greatly improve the accuracy potential of digital cameras.     

Systematic Geometric Image Measurement Errors of Circular Object Targets: Mathematical Formulation and Correction

The use of circular object targets is very common in spatial photogrammetric object reconstruction. An object circle is projected on to the image plane as an ellipse if the object plane and the image plane are not parallel to each other. The image co-ordinates of the centre of the ellipse are usually determined automatically by means of digital image processing. These co-ordinates are then used as observations for a subsequent reconstruction of the three dimensional object point. The image co-ordinates of the centre of the ellipse and the true co-ordinates of the projected centre of the circular object target are not identical; thus eccentricity is caused, resulting in systematic geometric image measurement errors. This paper describes the functional context of this eccentricity for a typical target/camera set-up. The possible solutions for a correction of this systematic eccentricity error are derived. Guidelines for the correct combination of object target sizes and exposure distances, guaranteeing reliable image point measurements and accurate object point determination, are proposed.     

数字近景摄影测量中人工标志点快速自动匹配

针对数字近景摄影测量中的人工标志点快速自动匹配问题,提出了一种基于双片空间前方交会的匹配算法。首先,通过计算投影线间的最短距离确定一组初始匹配点;然后通过双片空间前方交会计算相应物方点坐标;最后反求该物方点坐标在其他像片上的像点坐标,通过比较该像点与初始匹配点的坐标差确定同名像点。两组实验均证明,该算法计算速度快,具有高匹配率和低误匹配率。     

A bundle adjustment approach with inner constraints for the scaled orthographic projection

Bundle adjustment is a method for simultaneously calculating both the interior and exterior orientation parameters of a set of images, and the object-space coordinates of the observed points. In the case of long focal length lenses and narrow field-of-view (FOV) imaging situations, collinearity based (perspective projection) algorithms may result in linear dependencies between parameters that cause solution instability. The use of a scaled orthographic projection model based on linear algebraic formulations was therefore adopted to reduce this risk. Using quaternions, a new mathematical model is derived that includes the partial derivatives as well as the inner constraint equations for a scaled orthographic bundle adjustment. The model was then tested using two image sets of a single, small vessel (about 6 m length) with a cube target of known dimensions at two distinct ranges; perspective solutions were also calculated for comparison. RMS residual errors of 0.74-0.78 pixels associated with the new method compare favorably to a residual error range of 0.59-0.74 pixels using a perspective bundle adjustment of the same target points. Relative precisions (as a ratio of target size) of between 1:1650 and 1:750 have been achieved at ranges of 375 m and 850 m, respectively, given comparisons with the known cube dimensions. A third image dataset consisting of a network of 16 images was solved with a 1:2200 relative precision showing the new method can successfully handle high redundancy. For the experiments that were conducted, the new method was found to produce less precise results than the perspective bundle solution for a FOV of 0.50-0.65° where the object fills 5-8% of the image. However, it was found to match the precision of the perspective model (with an uncalibrated camera) for a FOV of 0.20-0.30° where the object of interest fills only 1-2% of the full image.     

Stereo-Photogrammetric Mapping of Tooth Replicas Incorporating Texture

Commercial digital photogrammetric software has been applied to convergent stereoscopic photography of human tooth replicas prepared to exhibit optical texture resulting in successful generation of 3D coordinate data. Tooth replicas were imaged using a semi-metric 35 mm camera and f = 100 mm macro lens on extension bellows. Model precision was within acceptable limits of 12  μ m or better for manual target matching and 21  μ m or better for automatic image matching. Further improvement in optical texture is required to achieve automatic image matching precision comparable to that of manual target matching. Small errors in interior orientation parameters attributed to instability in the bellows as well as small errors in the relative orientation resulted in some systematic errors. The use of a fixed camera lens system is expected to reduce these errors. When combined with commercially available, moderately priced, digital SLR cameras this brings 3D model generation closer to everyday clinical dental practice.     

三维相机检校场标志点图像坐标提取方法

相机检校是摄影测量重要的工作环节之一,相机检校方法和结果直接影响摄影测量后处理的效率和精度。文中针对相机标定工作中存在的标志点人工提取效率低等问题,提出一种三维相机检校场圆形标志点图像坐标提取的方法,通过对原始图像进行高斯滤波、Canny边缘检测、椭圆形轮廓提取和拟合等一系列处理后,最终得到标志点中心的图像坐标。通过与人工量测标志点图像坐标的方法进行对比分析,验证方法的可行性,实现数码相机的快速标定。     

Crack measurement: Development,testing and applications of an automatic image-based algorithm

The paper presents an Image-based Method for Crack Analysis (IMCA) which is capable of processing a sequence of digital imagery to perform a twofold task: (i) the extraction of crack borders and the evaluation of its width across the longitudinal profile; (ii) the measurement of crack deformations (width, sliding and rotation). Here both problems are solved in 2-D, but an extension to 3-D is also addressed. The equipment needed to apply the method is made up of a digital camera (or a still video-camera in case a high frequency in data acquisition is necessary), an orientation frame which establishes the object reference system, a pair of signalized supports to be placed in a permanent way on both sides of the crack to compute deformations; however, permanent targets are mandatory only for case (ii). The measurement process is carried out in a fully automatic way, a fact also that makes this technique highly operational for unskilled people in engineering surveying or photogrammetry. The accuracy of the proposed method, evaluated in experimental tests adopting different consumer digital cameras, is about ± 5–20 μm, like the accuracy of most deformometers, but with the advantage of automation and of augmented achievable information; moreover, the image sequence can be archived and off-line measurements could be performed at any time.     

Photogrammetric Capabilities of the Kodak DC40, DCS420 and DCS460 Digital Cameras

The aim of this study is to assess the impact of sensor size and resolution of different digital camera sensors upon the accuracy and precision of three dimensional data derived by photogrammetry. Kodak DC40, DCS420 and DCS460 digital cameras were used to produce digital images of retroreflective targets in a 4 m three dimensional test field. The image locations of the targeted points were automatically measured using an off the shelf image processing software package. Two different sub-pixel measurement approaches were examined: centre of gravity and weighted mean. From the automated sub-pixel measurement of the targeted points, results indicate that the high resolution DCS460 camera produces optimum results using either the weighted mean or centre of gravity approaches. Although this was perhaps expected, the far lower resolution DC40 camera performed better than was originally anticipated, suggesting potential for the cheaper DC40 for many applications.