We are thrilled to introduce Mech-Mind's latest breakthrough – an all-new structured light imaging algorithm designed to revolutionize reflective imaging capabilities. This innovative algorithm significantly boosts the accuracy and resolution of 3D point clouds, significantly enhancing the imaging quality of reflective objects by up to 90%.
The new structured light imaging algorithm tackles challenges posed by reflections from bin walls, plastic films, and similar scenarios. This advancement increases the success rate of vision-guided robots in recognizing various reflective objects in complex environments.
Mech-Mind has integrated the new structured light imaging algorithm and a new image projection scheme into SDK 2.3. To access this algorithm, simply download SDK 2.3 and activate the Reflective mode.
DOWNLOAD SDK 2.3
Experience Sharper 3D Point Clouds for Reflective Objects
Capturing Mirror-like Reflective Surfaces:
Accurately imaging mirror-like, fine-finished metal parts has long been a challenge in 3D imaging. These parts typically exhibit strong specular reflection characteristics, leading to low diffuse reflectance. As a result, the camera captures fewer effective signals, resulting in missing 3D point cloud data. This, in turn, affects essential tasks like recognition, pose estimation, and collision detection.
Our new structured light imaging algorithm maximizes glare reduction and noise suppression capabilities, providing clean, accurate captures of highly reflective objects with a remarkable 95% reduction in missing, distorted, and outlier points. This ability is crucial in handling challenging tasks such as high-precision 3D picking and fine assembly, improving production efficiency and quality control.
Upgrade to SDK 2.3, activate Reflective mode, and experience a new level of precision.
Original image: highly reflective brake discs
Smooth, clear, and detailed point cloud obtained in Reflective mode (color rendered by height)
95%* reduction of missing, distorted, and outlier points in reflective areas
*Compared to previous modes
Even for mirror-like, shiny metal parts with anti-corrosion oil, Mech-Eye 3D cameras deliver complete, pristine 3D point clouds.
Original image: shiny metal parts applied with anti-corrosion oil
Complete and detailed point cloud obtained in Reflective mode (color rendered by height)
95%* reduction in missing, deformed, and outlier points in reflective areas
*Compared to previous modes
Capturing Dark, Reflective Surfaces:
Dark, reflective objects, like black bubble wraps and compressors, pose additional challenges in manufacturing scenarios. The dark, absorptive surfaces and highly reflective surfaces create a situation where the 3D camera faces challenges of both overexposure in highly reflective areas and underexposure in black areas.
The new structured light imaging algorithm leverages the high dynamic range imaging capability, ensuring sufficient valid signals are captured for both dark and shiny reflective surfaces. This feature effectively suppresses noise, enhances contrast, and enables balanced capture of rich detail levels across both dark and reflective areas. As a result, point cloud loss and outliers are reduced by 90% in dark and bright areas.
Original image: dark, reflective parts
Sharp and detailed point cloud obtained in Reflective mode (color rendered by height)
90%* reduction in missing and outlier points in dark and reflective areas
*Compared to previous modes
Master Real-World Challenges
Our algorithm is versatile in handling some extremely complex scenarios, such as reflections from bin walls and neatly positioned metal cylinders.
Neatly Arranged Shafts and Cylinders:
Due to their curved surfaces, neatly arranged shaft-like parts such as transmission shafts and steel rods exhibit strong mirror-like reflection characteristics. This results in complex reflection directions of light rays, leading to missing or deformed 3D point clouds.
When the 3D camera is positioned perpendicular to the shafts' placement direction, this exacerbates the situation. In such cases, limiting the material feeding direction or using multiple 3D cameras to capture images from various angles is often necessary.
Our new algorithm enables Mech-Eye 3D cameras to capture exceptionally complete and clean 3D data without constraining placement directions, reducing point cloud loss and deformation by 93%.
Original image: neatly arranged reflective shafts
Clean, precise edges
Point cloud obtained in Reflective mode (color rendered by height)
93%* reduction in missing and distorted points on both sides of shafts
*Compared to previous modes
Reflection from Bin Walls:
No matter what industry you work in, shiny and highly reflective parts can be the ultimate challenge for machine vision. However, the situation becomes more complicated when dealing with reflections from bin walls and plastic films. The unpredictable nature of reflections and multiple reflections between bin walls and shiny parts can lead to missing, distorted, and spray points in 3D data.
Mech-Eye 3D cameras use the new structured light imaging algorithm to handle imaging challenges presented by reflective bin walls and plastic film coverings. Our new structured light imaging algorithm reduces point cloud loss, deformation, and outliers by 90% on parts close to bin walls.
Original image: reflective bin walls
Point cloud obtained in Reflective mode (color rendered by height)
Even when both the bin walls and parts reflect light simultaneously, the point cloud remains precise and complete
90%* reduction of missing, distorted, and outlier points
*Compared to previous modes
This feature enables users to seamlessly integrate Mech-Mind's 3D vision system into their production without altering existing bin materials or existing production layouts, enhancing production line efficiency and flexibility while minimizing downtime.
Unmatched Point Cloud Quality
Point cloud examples obtained by Mech-Eye and other 3D cameras
Compared to typical 3D cameras, Mech-Eye industrial 3D cameras show superior imaging capability for shiny, highly reflective objects.
Mech-Mind has integrated this excellent feature into SDK 2.3 for Mech-Eye's flagship 3D cameras. The Mech-Eye LSR, PRO, and DEEP 3D cameras fully support Reflective mode. Upgrade to SDK 2.3, activate Reflective mode, and experience higher-quality depth data and point clouds of superior quality.
Download SDK 2.3 here
Designed for Industrial Automation
Mech-Mind is dedicated to overcoming reflective imaging challenges and expanding machine vision capabilities. Our 3D vision and AI tools are designed to adapt to challenging environments and tackle complex tasks, promoting product quality and automation in various industries.
With this upgrade, Mech-Mind provides reliable support for high-precision picking, fine assembly, and quality control in automated production lines, aiding in the transformation of industries towards intelligent manufacturing.