Abstract
This work describes a measurement and control strategy for both position and orientation alignment between two objects. The automated alignment system, described herein, employs a reflective, passive ( requiring no power ) target and includes a PC-based imaging system and one camera mounted on a six degree of freedom robot. The system detects and corrects for misalignment in three transitional and three rotational directions by employing the Targeting and Reflective Alignment Concept (TRAC), which simplifies alignment by decoupling translational and rotational alignment control. The concept uses information on the cameras and the target s relative position based on video feedback from the camera. These relative positions are converted into alignment errors and minimized by motions of the robot. The system is robust to erogenous lighting by virtue of a subtraction algorithm which enables the camera to only see the target. These capabilities are realized with relatively minimal financial and computational expense.
Bradham, Michael John (1993). Six degree of freedom automated alignment using a passive, smart target. Master's thesis, Texas A&M University. Available electronically from
https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /ETD -TAMU -1993 -THESIS -B799.