<title>Robot Vision Using A Projection Method</title>

A dramatic increase in the use of industrial robots is expected in the United States within this decade. This increase increase will require robot vision systems so that the machines can respond and adapt to their environment, i.e., be intelligent. These advances can lead to new methods for use in flexible manufacturing systems and automated factories. The purpose of this paper is to describe a technique for three dimensional robot vision using a single projected image. The method involves automatic location of projected vertex points to determine the three dimensional surface characteristics of an object. The method is robust enough to permit measurement of featureless curved objects. Examples are given which demonstrate the simplicity of the technique. The significance of this method is that it is simple enough for use in robot control or inspection applications.