Sensors and Vision systems

for Robotic Systems

 Sensors in Robotic Systems
• Safe Operation Sensors must protect human workers who work in the vicinity of the robot or other
equipment. For example, one can provide a sensor on the floor of a work cell where a robot is working so
that if anybody steps in the robot’s power
• Interlocking This is required to coordinate the sequence of operations on a component. For example,
unless a turning is done on a component, it should not be transferred to the conveyor. r should be
switched off.
• Inspection This is essential for quality control. For example, one can use a vision system to measure the
length of a component to check if it is within the acceptable tolerance or not
• Part Configuration If a robot is used to weld two parts of a car body, the sensors must identify the correct
configurations, i.e., position and orientation of the parts, before the robot starts welding.
Need for Sensors in Robots

Simple Touch The presence or absence of an object. Taction or

Complex Touch The presence of an object plus some
information on its size and shape.
Simple Force Measured force along a single axis. Complex Force
Measured force along two or more axes.
Proximity Noncontact detection of an object.
Simple Vision Detection of edges, holes, corners, and so on.
Complex Vision Recognition of shapes
Characteristics of An instrument
Static Characteristics of an instrument
● Accuracy
● Precision
● Reproducibility
● Hysteresis
● Linearity
● Sensitivity
● Range
● Span
● Threshold
● Dead Time
● Dead Zone
Displacement Position and proximity
Displacement Position and proximity
LVDT Differential Transformer
RVDT
Synchros and Resolver
Velocity Sensor

tachometer
Hall effect Sensor

Fluid-level detector.
Fore Measurement
Specifications of Bonded Strain Gauge :
•Typical size - Typically 3mm × 3mm × 3mm, but some
times bigger than 2.5mm × 12.5mm
•Resistance - 120Ω to 1000Ω
•Maximum excitation voltage - 5 V to 10 V
•Construction material - Nichrome-copper, nickel-
chromium, or nickel-ferrous alloys.
Advantages of Bonded Strain Gauge :
•Accuracy is more.
•This can be available in different shapes.
•High sensitivity and stability.
•Perfect bonding can be done.
•Can measure high pressure.
Disadvantages of Bonded Strain Gauge :
•These are sensitive to change in temperature.
Applications of Bonded Strain Gauge :
•This can be used along with different transducers for
different applications.
•Can be used in stress analysis applications.
Different Types of Rosette strain Gauge
Piezo electric sensor
Fluid pressure

Diaphragm pressure gauge

Diaphragms: (a) flat, (b) corrugated.

(a) Capsule, (b) bellows LVDT with bellows.

Capacitive sensor
Eddy Current Sensor
Optical Encoders
Pneumatic Proximity Sensor
(a) Lever-operated, (b) roller-operated, (c) cam-operated switches.
Using photoelectric sensors to detect objects by (a) the object breaking the beam, (b) the object
reflecting light.
Velocity and Motion
Tactile Sensor
Displacement Sensor
Liquid Flow Measurement

Orifice plate
Turbine Meter

Turbine flowmeter
Liquid Level

Float system
Using a differential pressure sensor
Temperature Sensor

Bimetallic thermostat
Machine Vision and Image
processing
A Simple model of image formation
• The scene is illuminated by a single source.
• The scene reflects radiation towards the camera.
• The camera senses it via chemicals on film.
Image processing and analysis

Image Image Image

Enhancement Restoration Segmentation

Image Image Image

Acquisition Compression Coding Representation
& Description

Morphological Wavelet Recognition &

Image Processing Analysis Interpretation

16/9/2006 8:28 Knowledge

Deokate U.A. Base 54
Image acquisition
• Video camera
• Infrared camera
• Range camera
• Line-scan camera
• Hyperspectral camera
• Omni-directional camera
• and more …

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CCD (Charged-Coupled Device) cameras
• Tiny solid state cells convert light energy into electrical
charge.
• The image plane acts as a digital memory that can be read
row by row by a computer.
Frame grabber
• Usually, a CCD camera plugs into a computer board (frame
grabber).
• The frame grabber digitizes the signal and stores it in its
memory (frame buffer).
Image segmentation

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Image description
• OCR – optical character
recognition, license plate
recognition

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Image digitization

• Sampling means measuring the value of an image at a finite number of

points.
• Quantization is the representation of the measured value at the sampled
point by an integer.
Image digitization (cont’d)
Image enhancement

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Image correction
• Geometric correction
• Radiometric correction

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Image warping – geometric transformation
Image warping – another example

From Joey Howell and Cory McKay, ECE472, Fall 2000 66

Signal Conditioning using Operation
Amplifiers
Signal Conditioning using filters
Modulators and De modulators
ADC and DAC
Bridge Circuit
Quiz -1
1) Design a Pneumatic circuit with a sequence A+A-B+B- (3 marks)
2) Draw the symbol for the following valves(each carries 1 mark)
Pilot operated 4/2 DCV valve
Solenoid operated 5/2 DCV Valve