A high speed Tri-Vision system for automotive applications

Purpose: Cameras are excellent ways of non-invasively monitoring the interior and exterior of vehicles. In particular, high speed stereovision and multivision systems are important for transport applications such as driver eye tracking or collision avoidance. This paper addresses the synchronisation problem which arises when multivision camera systems are used to capture the high speed motion common in such applications. Methods: An experimental, high-speed tri-vision camera system intended for real-time driver eye-blink and saccade measurement was designed, developed, implemented and tested using prototype, ultra-high dynamic range, automotive-grade image sensors specifically developed by E2V (formerly Atmel) Grenoble SA as part of the European FP6 project – sensation (advanced sensor development for attention stress, vigilance and sleep/wakefulness monitoring). Results : The developed system can sustain frame rates of 59.8 Hz at the full stereovision resolution of 1280 × 480 but this can reach 750 Hz when a 10 k pixel Region of Interest (ROI) is used, with a maximum global shutter speed of 1/48000 s and a shutter efficiency of 99.7%. The data can be reliably transmitted uncompressed over standard copper Camera-Link® cables over 5 metres. The synchronisation error between the left and right stereo images is less than 100 ps and this has been verified both electrically and optically. Synchronisation is automatically established at boot-up and maintained during resolution changes. A third camera in the set can be configured independently. The dynamic range of the 10bit sensors exceeds 123 dB with a spectral sensitivity extending well into the infra-red range. Conclusion: The system was subjected to a comprehensive testing protocol, which confirms that the salient requirements for the driver monitoring application are adequately met and in some respects, exceeded. The synchronisation technique presented may also benefit several other automotive stereovision applications including near and far-field obstacle detection and collision avoidance, road condition monitoring and others.Partially funded by the EU FP6 through the IST-507231 SENSATION project.peer-reviewe

Development of an ultrafast laser ultra-precision machining platform

Ultra-precision manufacturing is commonplace in today’s society. It is used in a huge number of applications from electronics, medical devices to energy devices. Most devices manufactured using ultra-precision methods are made in high quantities where the volume of the components is required to outweigh the cost of the production equipment. However, there are few technologies targeting the manufacture of prototypes or small batches and those that are costly in terms of time or resources. Thus, there is a demand for a high speed, flexible manufacturing platform that is capable of ultra-precise manufacture. Currently, manufacturing techniques using ultrafast lasers are limited with regards to accuracy and repeatability. This body of work investigates how to develop an ultra-precision ultrafast laser manufacturing platform. From literature it was found that there are a significant number of avenues that could be investigated to improve the precision of an ultrafast laser machining process. This included the integration of metrology to perform closed-loop processing, studies of laser stability, new machining strategies and the effect of processing on plume formation. A significant proportion of the research presented was focused on the development of the ultra-precision platform. This work was carried out to provide a basis for this research but also for those that will use the platform in the future. One of the key outputs from this development was a graphical user interface that integrated with the range of devices on the platform such as the laser, 5-axis stage and beam diagnostic tools. This interface provides methods for automatic tilt correction, autofocus for the laser, angular ablation machining methods and other diagnostic tools. The interface is setup to capture the required data to provide traceability and diagnostics on the laser machining process. This aided the research carried out into improving the accuracy and repeatability of the laser-based process. First, an investigation into the characteristics of the laser installed on the ultra-precision platform was undertaken to determine the long-term stability of the laser with regards to the pointing stability, power stability and beam diameter stability. These characteristics are significant because they all affect the fluence at the focal spot which is responsible for ablating material. Variance in any of those parameters can have an effect and therefore influence the accuracy and repeatability of the process. The effect of duty cycle on power repeatability and the implications of this on machining was examined. Finally, a simulation was created to demonstrate the effect of laser stability on quality of machining. The ability to machine on angled planes enabled an investigation of the effect of angle on plume formation and the ablation threshold of the material. The ablation threshold for silicon was found at angles between normal and 45 degrees. It was found that the threshold could not be correlated with change of incident angle on the area of the focal spot. A range of different powers and angles were captured using the holographic camera and the effect on plume development was assessed. Overall, a range of tasks was completed which enabled several developments of the ultra-precision platform. These included in-process monitoring, the establishment of a novel machining strategy, and the capture of the effect of angular ablation on plume formation using a holographic camera. The platform is now placed to continue further development and integrate with other metrology technologies to provide closed-loop machining capabilities which will lead into a laser-based process which will be used for MEMS and similar device manufacture.EPSR

Ono: an open platform for social robotics

In recent times, the focal point of research in robotics has shifted from industrial ro- bots toward robots that interact with humans in an intuitive and safe manner. This evolution has resulted in the subfield of social robotics, which pertains to robots that function in a human environment and that can communicate with humans in an int- uitive way, e.g. with facial expressions. Social robots have the potential to impact many different aspects of our lives, but one particularly promising application is the use of robots in therapy, such as the treatment of children with autism. Unfortunately, many of the existing social robots are neither suited for practical use in therapy nor for large scale studies, mainly because they are expensive, one-of-a-kind robots that are hard to modify to suit a specific need. We created Ono, a social robotics platform, to tackle these issues. Ono is composed entirely from off-the-shelf components and cheap materials, and can be built at a local FabLab at the fraction of the cost of other robots. Ono is also entirely open source and the modular design further encourages modification and reuse of parts of the platform

Laser-assisted bumping for flip chip assembly

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Underpinning UK High-Value Manufacturing: Development of a Robotic Re-manufacturing System

Impact and its measure of outcome is a given performance indicator within academia. Impact metrics and the associated understanding play a large part of how academic research is judged and ultimately funded. Natural progression of successful scientific research into industry is now an essential tool for academia. This paper describes what began over ten years ago as a concept to automate a bespoke welding system, highlighting its evolution from the research laboratories of The University of Sheffield to become a platform technology for aerospace remanufacturing developed though industry-academia collaboration. The design process, funding mechanisms, research and development trials and interaction between robotic technology and experienced welding engineers has made possible the construction of a robotic aerospace turbofan jet engine blade re-manufacturing system. This is a joint collaborative research and development project carried out by VBC Instrument Engineering Limited (UK) and The University of Sheffield (UK) who are funded by the UK governments’ innovation agency, Innovate-UK with the Aerospace Technology Institute, the Science and Facilities Technology Council (STFC) and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

Business Case and Technology Analysis for 5G Low Latency Applications

A large number of new consumer and industrial applications are likely to change the classic operator's business models and provide a wide range of new markets to enter. This article analyses the most relevant 5G use cases that require ultra-low latency, from both technical and business perspectives. Low latency services pose challenging requirements to the network, and to fulfill them operators need to invest in costly changes in their network. In this sense, it is not clear whether such investments are going to be amortized with these new business models. In light of this, specific applications and requirements are described and the potential market benefits for operators are analysed. Conclusions show that operators have clear opportunities to add value and position themselves strongly with the increasing number of services to be provided by 5G.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure