You are here

LACK OF VISION IS A MAIN DEFICIENCY IN PRESENT USES OF ROBOTS.

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 610
Amount: $49,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: N/A
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 1983
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
250 East Drive
Melbourne, FL 32901
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 M.L. KAO
 PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
 () -
Business Contact
Phone: () -
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

LACK OF VISION IS A MAIN DEFICIENCY IN PRESENT USES OF ROBOTS. ALMOST ALL ROBOT VISION SYSTEMS IN USE ARE MODELED AFTER HUMAN EYES; HOWEVER VISION SYSTEM IS TOO COMPLEX TO IMITATE BY PRESENT TECHNOLOGY. THIS PROJECT EXPLORES THE FEASIBILITY OF MODELING A ROBOT VISION SYSTEM ON THE COMPOUND EYE OF INSECTS. INSECT VISION IS FUNDEMENTALLY DIFFERENT FROM HUMAN VISION IN THAT IS GOVERNED BY MULTIAPERATURE OPTICS. WHILE INSECT EYES HAVE LOWER FORM OF HARWARE STRUCTURE, SOPHISTICATED SOFTWARE PROVIDES INSECTS THE THREE FUNCTIONS REQUIRED IN ANY VISION SYSTEM: TO VERIFYTHE PRESENCE OF AN OBJECT, TO MEASURE IMAGE FEATURES, AND TORECOGNIZE OBJECTS. ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THE SUCCESS OF INSECTS IN SURVIVAL COMPETITION IS THEIR ACUTE VISION.IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT IN MOST INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS, GREAT DETAIL OF IMAGE IS NOT ONLY UNNECESSARY, BUT ALSO BECOMES INFORMATION NOISE IN IMAGE PROCESSING. IN INSECT VISION SYSTEM, THE INFORMATION IS PROCESSED IN NERVE NETS WITHIN THEIR EYES. ONLY THE RESULT OF THE COMPUTATION, SUCH AS PATTERN OR SPEED OF THE TARGET IS SENT TO THE BRAIN. THE UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF TARGET ORIENTATION, AND NOT SCENE ORIENTATION, IS ESPECIALLY BENEFICIAL FOR REAL-TIME APPLICATIONS. TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBLE ADVANTAGES OF COMPOUNDAPERTURE VISION FOR ROBOTS, THIS PROJECT INVESTIGATES THE FOLLOWING FACTORS IN PHASE I: EDGE, GRAY-LEVEL AND COLOR DETECTION, OBJECT RECOGNITION, AND DISTANCE DETERMINATION.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

US Flag An Official Website of the United States Government