Search

Numerous areas of expertise are often required for the inspection of an individual product, with many different sensors being used within a single inspection machine. For this reason it is necessary for the production engineer to have at least a working knowledge of all the different technologies that may be employed. This book covers the majority of sensors that can be applied on the shop floor and has been designed to assist engineers with little or no previous experience in the various fields. The information that the book contains is of a highly practical nature and is based on the author's considerable first-hand experience of varied industrial applications.

This pioneering text/reference presents a detailed focus on the use of machine vision techniques in industrial inspection applications. An internationally renowned selection of experts provide insights on a range of inspection tasks, drawn from their cutting-edge work in academia and industry, covering practical issues of vision system integration for real-world applications. Topics and features: presents a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art hardware and software tools for machine vision, and the evolution of algorithms for industrial inspection; includes in-depth descriptions of advanced inspection methodologies and machine vision technologies for specific needs; discusses the latest developments and future trends in imaging and vision techniques for industrial inspection tasks; provides a focus on imaging and vision system integration, implementation, and optimization; describes the pitfalls and barriers to developing successful inspection systems for smooth and efficient manufacturing process.

The aim of the work is to investigate new application areas for sub-terahertz (sub-THz) imaging systems. Another important task is to develop a millimeter wave scanner for application in industrial plants. Based on the setup employing a commercial vector network analyser equipped with a lens system, the feasibility for materials scanning is explored. As a result, a great potential for quality checking with microwaves is discovered. One of the application fields is the food industry. In particular, the use of millimeter wave systems for the detection of foreign objects and quality control is evaluated. The employment of screening systems is also of particular interest in the plastics industry. In the thesis it is proven that microwave imagers are well suited to the quality assessment of plastic welds and polymers. Typical problems appearing during the manufacturing of plastics including delaminations or the presence of inclusions can be detected. For plastics containing additives, a particle distribution map can be obtained. Since the millimeter waves are attenuated by water, another application of this part of the electromagnetic spectrum is the control of rehydration process in plants. Finally, the employment of microwave systems for security scanning is presented, however it is limited to the recognition of relatively high volume items. Based on promising results obtained with the network analyser, a 35 GHz system employing commercially available microwave components is constructed. Together with the developed optics, electronics hardware and software, a fully stand-alone screening system for the completeness evaluation in the food industry is built. It is shown that the inspector, which was successfully tested in industrial plants, is capable of detecting a missing or an empty bottle in a drink container. For further integration and cost reduction, another standalone screening system operating at the frequency of 38 GHz is developed. The Gigahertz Industrial Inspector (GI2) employs a home-made transmitter and receiver based on the monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs). The device is optimized for the completeness testing of packaged bars. The tests performed in real industrial environment prove the inspector's feasibility for the detection of missing items. In the thesis it is proven that the developed millimeter wave inspectors are a promising alternative or extension for existing quality control systems. Moreover, they surpass the contemporary screening devices in several aspects. First of all, microwaves are not ionising because of their low energy. This allows safe testing in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Furthermore, the evaluation method is non-contact and non-destructive. Therefore, it can be applied to 100% of the products. This assures the highest quality of manufactured goods. Finally, the developed inspectors are reliable and much more cost effective than the systems that exist in the market.

This book provides a comprehensive survey of coded optical imaging. Illustrated with 386 figures, it takes readers from the fundamental concepts and theories to the latest research and applications in this field. It can be used in graduate-level courses in optics and photonics. It can also benefit scientists and engineers in optical imaging, computer graphics, and other related disciplines. This book starts from a brief history of coded optical imaging and key operations in its data acquisition and image reconstruction. It then presents the latest progress in technological development and applications in the areas of biomedicine, materials science, industrial inspection, optical physics, imaging science, information theory, and more. Chapters describe the most representative techniques, exposing readers to key research themes, including: · Optical signal encoding · Image reconstruction techniques · Compressed sensing · Artificial intelligence · Metasurface · Structured light · Lensless imaging · Holography · Tomography · Light-field imaging · Utrafast imaging · Hyperspectral imaging · Polarization imaging · Super-resolution imaging

This book provides a wide scope of contributions related to optoelectronic device application in a variety of robotic systems for diverse purposes. The contributions are focused on optoelectronic sensors and analyzing systems, 3D and 2D machine vision technologies, robot navigation, pose estimations, robot operation in cyclic procedures, control schemes, motion controllers, and intelligent algorithms and vision systems. Applications of these technologies are outlined for unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous and mobile robots, industrial inspection applications, cultural heritage documentation, and structural health monitoring. Also discussed are recent advanced research in measurement and others areas where 3D and 2D machine vision and machine control play an important role. Surveys and reviews about optoelectronic and vision-based applications are also included. These topics are of interest to readers from a diverse group including those working in optoelectronics, and electrical, electronic and computer engineering.

This book deals with selected problems of machine perception, using various 2D and 3D imaging sensors. It proposes several new original methods, and also provides a detailed state-of-the-art overview of existing techniques for automated, multi-level interpretation of the observed static or dynamic environment. To ensure a sound theoretical basis of the new models, the surveys and algorithmic developments are performed in well-established Bayesian frameworks. Low level scene understanding functions are formulated as various image segmentation problems, where the advantages of probabilistic inference techniques such as Markov Random Fields (MRF) or Mixed Markov Models are considered. For the object level scene analysis, the book mainly relies on the literature of Marked Point Process (MPP) approaches, which consider strong geometric and prior interaction constraints in object population modeling. In particular, key developments are introduced in the spatial hierarchical decomposition of the observed scenarios, and in the temporal extension of complex MRF and MPP models. Apart from utilizing conventional optical sensors, case studies are provided on passive radar (ISAR) and Lidar-based Bayesian environment perception tasks. It is shown, via several experiments, that the proposed contributions embedded into a strict mathematical toolkit can significantly improve the results in real world 2D/3D test images and videos, for applications in video surveillance, smart city monitoring, autonomous driving, remote sensing, and optical industrial inspection.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 16th Conference on Image and Graphics Technologies and Applications, IGTA 2021, held in Beijing, China in June, 2021. The 21 papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 86 submissions. They provide a forum for sharing progresses in the areas of image processing technology; image analysis and understanding; computer vision and pattern recognition; big data mining, computer graphics and VR, as well as image technology applications. The volume contains the following thematic blocks: image processing and enhancement techniques (image information acquisition, image/video coding, image/video transmission, image/video storage, compression, completion, dehazing, reconstruction and display, etc.); biometric identification techniques (biometric identification and authentication techniques including face, fingerprint, iris and palm-print, etc.); machine vision and 3D reconstruction (visual information acquisition, camera calibration, stereo vision, 3D reconstruction, and applications of machine vision in industrial inspection, etc.); image/video big data analysis and understanding (object detection and recognition, image/video retrieval, image segmentation, matching, analysis and understanding); computer graphics (modeling, rendering, algorithm simplification and acceleration techniques, realistic scene generation, 3D reconstruction algorithm, system and application, etc.); virtual reality and human-computer interaction (virtual scene generation techniques, tracing and positioning techniques for large-scale space, augmented reality techniques, human-computer interaction techniques based on computer vision, etc.); applications of image and graphics (image/video processing and transmission, biomedical engineering applications, information security, digital watermarking, text processing and transmission, remote sensing, telemetering, etc.); other research works and surveys related to the applications of image and graphics technology.

This book presents a variety of perspectives on vision-based applications. These contributions are focused on optoelectronic sensors, 3D & 2D machine vision technologies, robot navigation, control schemes, motion controllers, intelligent algorithms and vision systems. The authors focus on applications of unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous and mobile robots, industrial inspection applications and structural health monitoring. Recent advanced research in measurement and others areas where 3D & 2D machine vision and machine control play an important role, as well as surveys and reviews about vision-based applications. These topics are of interest to readers from diverse areas, including electrical, electronics and computer engineering, technologists, students and non-specialist readers.• Presents current research in image and signal sensors, methods, and 3D & 2D technologies in vision-based theories and applications; • Discusses applications such as daily use devices including robotics, detection, tracking and stereoscopic vision systems, pose estimation, avoidance of objects, control and data exchange for navigation, and aerial imagery processing; • Includes research contributions in scientific, industrial, and civil applications.

[FIRST EDITION] This accessible textbook presents an introduction to computer vision algorithms for industrially-relevant applications of X-ray testing. Features: introduces the mathematical background for monocular and multiple view geometry; describes the main techniques for image processing used in X-ray testing; presents a range of different representations for X-ray images, explaining how these enable new features to be extracted from the original image; examines a range of known X-ray image classifiers and classification strategies; discusses some basic concepts for the simulation of X-ray images and presents simple geometric and imaging models that can be used in the simulation; reviews a variety of applications for X-ray testing, from industrial inspection and baggage screening to the quality control of natural products; provides supporting material at an associated website, including a database of X-ray images and a Matlab toolbox for use with the book's many examples.

Color image processing has attracted much interest in recent years, motivated by its use in many fields. Myriad uses include its application to object recognition and tracking, image segmentation and retrieval, image registration, multimedia systems, fashion and food industries, computer vision, entertainment, consumer electronics, production printing and proofing, digital photography, biometrics, digital artwork reproduction, industrial inspection, and biomedical applications. The main goal of this book is to provide the mathematics of quaternions and octonions and to show how they can be used in these burgeoning areas of color image processing.

This book gathers papers presented at the VipIMAGE 2017-VI ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Computational Vision and Medical Image Processing. It highlights invited lecturers and full papers presented at the conference, which was held in Porto, Portugal, on October 18–20, 2017. These international contributions provide comprehensive coverage on the state-of-the-art in the following fields: 3D Vision, Computational Bio-Imaging and Visualization, Computational Vision, Computer Aided Diagnosis, Surgery, Therapy and Treatment, Data Interpolation, Registration, Acquisition and Compression, Industrial Inspection, Image Enhancement, Image Processing and Analysis, Image Segmentation, Medical Imaging, Medical Rehabilitation, Physics of Medical Imaging, Shape Reconstruction, Signal Processing, Simulation and Modelling, Software Development for Image Processing and Analysis, Telemedicine Systems and their Applications, Tracking and Analysis of Movement, and Deformation and Virtual Reality.In addition, it explores a broad range of related techniques, methods and applications, including: trainable filters, bilateral filtering, statistical, geometrical and physical modelling, fuzzy morphology, region growing, grabcut, variational methods, snakes, the level set method, finite element method, wavelet transform, multi-objective optimization, scale invariant feature transform, Laws'texture-energy measures, expectation maximization, the Markov random fields bootstrap, feature extraction and classification, support vector machines, random forests, decision trees, deep learning, and stereo vision.Given its breadth of coverage, the book offers a valuable resource for academics, researchers and professionals in Biomechanics, Biomedical Engineering, Computational Vision (image processing and analysis), Computer Sciences, Computational Mechanics, Signal Processing, Medicine and Rehabilitation.

This accessible textbook presents an introduction to computer vision algorithms for industrially-relevant applications of X-ray testing. Features: introduces the mathematical background for monocular and multiple view geometry; describes the main techniques for image processing used in X-ray testing; presents a range of different representations for X-ray images, explaining how these enable new features to be extracted from the original image; examines a range of known X-ray image classifiers and classification strategies; discusses some basic concepts for the simulation of X-ray images and presents simple geometric and imaging models that can be used in the simulation; reviews a variety of applications for X-ray testing, from industrial inspection and baggage screening to the quality control of natural products; provides supporting material at an associated website, including a database of X-ray images and a Matlab toolbox for use with the book's many examples.

This thesis describes the development of a new technique to solve an important industrial inspection requirement for a high-value jet-engine component. The work – and the story told in the thesis – stretches all the way from the fundamentals of wave propagation in anisotropic material and ultrasonic array imaging through to device production and site trials. The book includes a description of a new method to determine crystallographic orientation from 2D ultrasonic array data. Another new method is described that enables volumetric images of an anisotropic material to be generated from 2D ultrasonic array data, based on measured crystallographic orientation. After extensive modeling, a suitable 2D array and deployment fixtures were manufactured and tested on in situ turbine blades in real engines. The final site trial indicated an order of magnitude improvement over the best existing technique in the detectability of a certain type of root cracking. The Development of a 2D Ultrasonic Array Inspection for Single Crystal Turbine Blades should be an inspiration for those starting out on doctoral degrees as it shows the complete development cycle from basic science to industrial usage.

The ability to extract generic 3D objects from images is a crucial step towards automation of a variety of problems in cartographic database compilation, industrial inspection and assembly, and autonomous navigation. Many of these problem domains do not have strong constraints on object shape or scene content, presenting serious obstacles for the development of robust object detection and delineation techniques. Geometric Constraints for Object Detection and Delineation addresses these problems with a suite of novel methods and techniques for detecting and delineating generic objects in images of complex scenes, and applies them to the specific task of building detection and delineation from monocular aerial imagery. PIVOT, the fully automated system implementing these techniques, is quantitatively evaluated on 83 images covering 18 test scenes, and compared to three existing systems for building extraction. The results highlight the performance improvements possible with rigorous photogrammetric camera modeling, primitive-based object representations, and geometric constraints derived from their combination. PIVOT's performance illustrates the implications of a clearly articulated set of philosophical principles, taking a significant step towards automatic detection and delineation of 3D objects in real-world environments. Geometric Constraints for Object Detection and Delineation is suitable as a textbook or as a secondary text for a graduate-level course, and as a reference for researchers and practitioners in industry.

Machine vision systems offer great potential in a large number of areas of manufacturing industry and are used principally for Automated Visual Inspection and Robot Vision. This publication presents the state of the art in image processing. It discusses techniques which have been developed for designing machines for use in industrial inspection and robot control, putting the emphasis on software and algorithms. A comprehensive set of image processing subroutines, which together form the basic vocabulary for the versatile image processing language IIPL, is presented. This language has proved to be extremely effective, working as a design tool, in solving numerous practical inspection problems. The merging of this language with Prolog provides an even more powerful facility which retains the benefits of human and machine intelligence. The authors bring together the practical experience and the picture material from a leading industrial research laboratory and the mathematical foundations necessary to understand and apply concepts in image processing. Interactive Image Processing is a self-contained reference book that can also be used in graduate level courses in electrical engineering, computer science and physics.

The recent emergence of Local Binary Patterns (LBP) has led to significant progress in applying texture methods to various computer vision problems and applications. The focus of this research has broadened from 2D textures to 3D textures and spatiotemporal (dynamic) textures. Also, where texture was once utilized for applications such as remote sensing, industrial inspection and biomedical image analysis, the introduction of LBP-based approaches have provided outstanding results in problems relating to face and activity analysis, with future scope for face and facial expression recognition, biometrics, visual surveillance and video analysis. Computer Vision Using Local Binary Patterns provides a detailed description of the LBP methods and their variants both in spatial and spatiotemporal domains. This comprehensive reference also provides an excellent overview as to how texture methods can be utilized for solving different kinds of computer vision and image analysis problems. Source codes of the basic LBP algorithms, demonstrations, some databases and a comprehensive LBP bibliography can be found from an accompanying web site. Topics include: local binary patterns and their variants in spatial and spatiotemporal domains, texture classification and segmentation, description of interest regions, applications in image retrieval and 3D recognition - Recognition and segmentation of dynamic textures, background subtraction, recognition of actions, face analysis using still images and image sequences, visual speech recognition and LBP in various applications.Written by pioneers of LBP, this book is an essential resource for researchers, professional engineers and graduate students in computer vision, image analysis and pattern recognition. The book will also be of interest to all those who work with specific applications of machine vision.

Approaching the topic of digital holography from the practical perspective of industrial inspection, Digital Holography for MEMS and Microsystem Metrology describes the process of digital holography and its growing applications for MEMS characterization, residual stress measurement, design and evaluation, and device testing and inspection. Asundi also provides a thorough theoretical grounding that enables the reader to understand basic concepts and thus identify areas where this technique can be adopted. This combination of both practical and theoretical approach will ensure the book's relevance and appeal to both researchers and engineers keen to evaluate the potential of digital holography for integration into their existing machines and processes. Addresses particle characterization where digital holography has proven capability for dynamic measurement of particles in 3D for sizing and shape characterization, with applications in microfluidics as well as crystallization and aerosol detection studies. Discusses digital reflection holography, digital transmission holography, digital in-line holography, and digital holographic tomography and applications. Covers other applications including micro-optical and diffractive optical systems and the testing of these components, and bio-imaging.

The problem of structure and motion recovery from image sequences is an important theme in computer vision. Considerable progress has been made in this field during the past two decades, resulting in successful applications in robot navigation, augmented reality, industrial inspection, medical image analysis, and digital entertainment, among other areas. However, many of these methods work only for rigid objects and static scenes. The study of non-rigid structure from motion is not only of academic significance, but also has important practical applications in real-world, nonrigid or dynamic scenarios, such as human facial expressions and moving vehicles. This practical guide/reference provides a comprehensive overview of Euclidean structure and motion recovery, with a specific focus on factorization-based algorithms. The book discusses the latest research in this field, including the extension of the factorization algorithm to recover the structure of non-rigid objects, and presents some new algorithms developed by the authors. Readers require no significant knowledge of computer vision, although some background on projective geometry and matrix computation would be beneficial. Topics and features: presents the first systematic study of structure and motion recovery of both rigid and non-rigid objects from images sequences; discusses in depth the theory, techniques, and applications of rigid and non-rigid factorization methods in three dimensional computer vision; examines numerous factorization algorithms, covering affine, perspective and quasi-perspective projection models; provides appendices describing the mathematical principles behind projective geometry, matrix decomposition, least squares, and nonlinear estimation techniques; includes chapter-ending review questions, and a glossary of terms used in the book. This unique text offers practical guidance in real applications and implementations of 3D modeling systems for practitioners incomputer vision and pattern recognition, as well as serving as an invaluable source of new algorithms and methodologies for structure and motion recovery for graduate students and researchers.

21 years ago it was a joint idea with Hans Rottenkolber to organize a workshop dedicated to the discussion of the latest results in the automatic processing of fringe patterns. This idea was promoted by the insight that automatic and high precision phase measurement techniques will play a key role in all future industrial and scientific applications of optical metrology. A couple of months later more than 50 specialists from East and West met in East Berlin, the capital of the former GDR, to spend 3 days with the discussion of new principles of fringe processing. In the stimulating atmoshere the idea was born to repeat the workshop and to organize the meeting in an olympic schedule. And thus meanwhile 20 years have been passed and we have today Fringe number six. However, such a workshop takes place in a dynamic environment. Therefore the main topics of the previous events were always adapted to the most interesting subjects of the new period. In 1993 the workshop took place in Bremen and was dedicated to new principles of optical shape measurement, setup calibration, phase unwrapping and nondestructive testing, while in 1997 new approaches in multi-sensor metrology, active measurement strategies and hybrid processing technologies played a central role. 2001, the first meeting in the 21st century, was focused to optical methods for micromeasurements, hybrid measurement technologies and new sensor solutions for industrial inspection.

In 1989 the time was hot to create a workshop series dedicated to the dicussion of the latest results in the automatic processing of fringe patterns. This idea was promoted by the insight that automatic and high precision phase measurement techniques will play a key role in all future industrial applications of optical metrology. However, such a workshop must take place in a dynamic environment. The- fore the main topics of the previous events were always adapted to the most interesting subjects of the new period. In 1993 new prin- ples of optical shape measurement, setup calibration, phase unwr- ping and nondestructive testing were the focus of discussion, while in 1997 new approaches in multi-sensor metrology, active measu- ment strategies and hybrid processing technologies played a central role. 2001, the first meeting in the 21st century, was dedicated to - tical methods for micromeasurements, hybrid measurement te- nologies and new sensor solutions for industrial inspection. The fifth workshop takes place in Stuttgart, the capital of the state of Baden- Württemberg and the centre of a region with a long and remarkable tradition in engineering. Thus after Berlin 1989, Bremen 1993, 1997 and 2001, Stuttgart is the third Fringe city where international - perts will meet each other to share new ideas and concepts in optical metrology. This volume contains the papers presented during FRINGE 2005.

The rapid rise of PC-based cameras has lead to the enormous growth of software applications that use real-time video programming. These applications include video conferencing, computer games, scientific research, automated security and surveillance, industrial inspection, and Web cameras. Previously, developers had to search through manufacturer manuals or research papers in computer vision or image processing to learn how to program devices for these applications.Programming Cameras and Pan-Tilts with DirectX and Java is the first book to offer practical tools and techniques for those struggling to gain an in-depth understanding of programming computer vision applications with live camera streams and pan-tilt devices. It shows how to build DirectShow filters from scratch and introduces computer vision concepts as needed to understand the code. Special emphasis is devoted to DirectShow programming and popular computer vision applications such as segmentation and tracking. Shows step-by-step how to program cameras for a variety of applications in both Visual C++.NET and the Java Media Framework (JMF). Describes programming methods proven in industrial and research settings that can be used with any camera that connects to a PC through a DirectShow-compliant frame grabber. Provides easy-to-understand explanations of the underlying concepts of the code examples suitable for those studying computer vision, image processing, or multimedia.

Smart Inspection Systems: Techniques and Applications of Intelligent Vision will enable engineers to understand the various stages of automated visual inspection (AVI) and how artificial intelligence can be incorporated into each stage to create'smart'inspection systems. The book contains many examples that illustrate and explain the application of conventional and artificial intelligence techniques in AVI. The text covers the whole AVI process, from illumination, image enhancement, segmentation and feature extraction, through to classification, and includes case studies of implemented AVI systems as well as reviews of commercially available inspection systems. Each chapter concludes with exercises. This book will be of interest to users and developers of commercial industrial inspection systems as well as researchers in the fields of machine vision, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing engineering.

Texture analysis is an important generic research area of machine vision. The potential areas of application include biomedical image analysis, industrial inspection, analysis of satellite or aerial imagery, content-based retrieval from image databases, document analysis, biometric person authentication, scene analysis for robot navigation, texture synthesis for computer graphics and animation, and image coding. Texture analysis has been a topic of intensive research for over three decades, but the progress has been very slow.A workshop on “Texture Analysis in Machine Vision” was held at the University of Oulu, Finland, in 1999, providing a forum for presenting recent research results and for discussing how to make progress in order to increase the usefulness of texture in practical applications. This book contains extended and revised versions of the papers presented at the workshop. The first part of the book deals with texture analysis methodology, while the second part covers various applications. The book gives a unique view of different approaches and applications of texture analysis. It should be of great interest both to researchers of machine vision and to practitioners in various application areas.

'Robots vs Drones'offers a comprehensive exploration of two revolutionary technologies reshaping our modern world, presenting a detailed comparison of their distinct capabilities and applications. The book systematically breaks down how robots excel in structured, repetitive tasks requiring precise physical manipulation, while drones offer unprecedented aerial mobility and perspective. Through real-world case studies and industry data, readers gain insight into how these technologies are transforming manufacturing, agriculture, surveillance, and delivery services. The narrative progresses from fundamental definitions to advanced applications, examining industrial robotics in manufacturing settings and the integration of collaborative robots with human workers. The drone technology section delves into commercial and consumer applications, covering essential aspects like regulatory frameworks and autonomous flight systems. Particularly fascinating is the book's analysis of hybrid systems that combine ground-based robotics with aerial capabilities, showcasing the potential for technological convergence. What sets this work apart is its balanced, technical approach that remains accessible to readers with basic technology literacy. The book incorporates insights from industry leaders, engineers, and end-users, while addressing crucial considerations such as ethical implications and economic impact. For professionals, decision-makers, and students in technology-related fields, the inclusion of technical specifications, implementation examples, and decision matrices makes this an invaluable resource for understanding the complementary roles of robots and drones in shaping our technological future.

The 10-volume set LNAI 15201-15210 constitutes the proceedings of the 17th International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Applications, ICIRA 2024, which took place in Xi'an, China, during July 31–August 2, 2024. The 321 full papers included in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from 489 submissions. They were organized in topical sections as follows: Part I: Innovative Design and Performance Evaluation of Robot Mechanisms. Part II: Robot Perception and Machine Learning; Cognitive Intelligence and Security Control for Multi-domain Unmanned Vehicle Systems. Part III: Emerging Techniques for Intelligent Robots in Unstructured Environment; Soft Actuators and Sensors; and Advanced Intelligent and Flexible Sensor Technologies for Robotics. Part IV: Optimization and Intelligent Control of Underactuated Robotic Systems; and Technology and application of modular robots. Part V: Advanced actuation and intelligent control in medical robotics: Advancements in Machine Vision for Enhancing Human-Robot Interaction; and Hybrid Decision-making and Control for Intelligent Robots. Part VI: Advances in Marine Robotics; Visual, Linguistic, Affective Agents: Hybrid-augmented Agents for Robotics; and Wearable Robots for Assistance, Augmentation and Rehabilitation of human movements. Part VII: Integrating World Models for Enhanced Robotic Autonomy; Advanced Sensing and Control Technologies for Intelligent Human-Robot Interaction; and Mini-Invasive Robotics for In-Situ Manipulation. Part VIII: Robot Skill Learning and Transfer; Human-Robot Dynamic System: Learning, Modelling and Control; AI-Driven Smart Industrial Systems; and Natural Interaction and Coordinated Collaboration of Robots in Dynamic Unstructured Environments. Part IX: Robotics in Cooperative Manipulation, MultiSensor Fusion, and Multi-Robot Systems; Human-machine Co-adaptive Interface; Brain inspired intelligence for robotics; Planning, control and application of bionic novel concept robots; and Robust Perception for Safe Driving. Part X: AI Robot Technology for Healthcare as a Service; Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Models for Adaptive Human-Robot Interactions; Dynamics and Perception of Human-Robot Hybrid Systems; and Robotics for Rehabilitation: Innovations, Challenges, and Future Directions.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the International Workshops on Practical Applications of Agents and Multi-Agent Systems, PAAMS 2024, held in Salamanca, Spain, during June 26–28, 2024. The 32 full papers presented here were carefully reviewed and selected from 44 submissions. Papers from the following workshops have been included in these proceedings: - Workshop on Adaptive Smart areaS and Intelligent Agents (ASSIA) Workshop on Character Computing (C2) Workshop on Cognitive Assistants and Data Fusion (CogniBlend) Workshop on Decision Support, Recommendation, and Persuasion in Artificial Intelligence (DeRePAI) Workshop on Intelligent Agents in Science and Engineering (IASE) Workshop on Modelling and Simulation of Modern Energy Markets and Future Power Systems (MASES) Workshop on Digital Twinning for training purposes in Industry 4.0 (Twin4Train)

This open access book compiles the groundbreaking research conducted by the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 871, centered around the'Regeneration of Complex Capital Goods.'This comprehensive work unveils an array of innovative methods developed through CRC 871, designed to revitalize and enhance the functional attributes of these critical assets. From non-destructive characterization of heavily stressed turbine components to the dynamic behavior of regenerated structural elements, each chapter offers a meticulous exploration of diverse facets in the field. The book also addresses the crucial consideration of variability in repair processes and material properties, as well as the comprehensive control of regeneration processes. With insights into simulation-based process design, fast measurement techniques, and resilience-based decision criteria, this volume provides a comprehensive view of the cutting-edge approaches employed. Moreover, readers will find a detailed process chain for condition-based regeneration, offering a practical framework for implementation. Finally, the book sheds light on the importance of targeted public relations in disseminating the invaluable research carried out by Collaborative Research Center 871. This extensive compilation not only showcases the scientific rigor behind maintaining complex capital goods but also demonstrates the collaborative efforts that brought together experts from various fields to push the boundaries of regeneration technology.

The book is also a good source for courses in robotics and automation, control engineering, mechanical engineering, and mechatronics. CLAWAR 2024 is the 27th International Conference Series on Climbing and Walking Robots and Mobile Machine Support Technologies. The conference is organized by CLAWAR Association in collaboration with the RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau and FZI Center for Information Technology, Germany, during September 4–6, 2024. CLAWAR 2024 provides the latest research and development findings and state-of-the-art insights into the mobile robotics and associated technologies in a diverse range of application scenarios, within the framework of “walking robots into real world.” The topics covered include AI-based systems and solutions, biologically inspired systems and solutions, human-like robots, innovative grippers, innovative robot design, planetary exploration, planning and control, prosthetics and rehabilitation, quadruped robots, and robotic applications. The intended readership includes participants of CLAWAR 2024 conference, worldwide researchers, scientists, and educators in the areas of robotics and related topics.

This two-volume set LNCS 15046 and 15047 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 17th International Symposium, ISVC 2024, held at Lake Tahoe, NV, USA, during October 21-23, 2024. The 54 (60) full papers and 12 poster papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 120 submissions. A total of 8 (13) papers were also accepted for oral presentation in special tracks from 15 submissions. The papers cover the following topical sections: Part I: Deep Learning; Computer Graphics; Video Analysis and Event Recognition; Motion and Tracking; Detection and Recognition; Visualization, and Medical Image Analysis. Part II: Segmentation; Recognition; Generalization in Visual Machine Learning; Vision and Robotics for Agriculture; Virtual Reality; Applications, and Poster.

Selected peer-reviewed full text papers from the 11th International Conference on X-Rays and Related Techniques in Research and Industry (ICXRI2023)Selected peer-reviewed full text papers from the 11th International Conference on X-Rays and Related Techniques in Research and Industry (ICXRI2023), August 23-24, 2023, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

“Council democracy” is a particular form of democratic socialism that strives towards democratic self-governance on the basis of active, free, and associated individuals working cooperatively within a federated council system. Both in political practice and in social theory, “council democracy” has resurfaced periodically in the past, most notably in the interwar period, in the “long 1960s,” and since the turn of the 21st century. This book offers a novel theoretical and methodological approach to the study of “council democracy.” It focuses on the processes that led to the emergence of two of the foundational and most radical instances of “council democratic” movements in Germany during the German Revolution (1918-1919) and in Italy during the biennio rosso (1919-1920). With all their diversities, ambiguities, and shortcomings, these movements, in varying degrees, sought democratic alternatives to autocratic relations, from local to state levels, and to economic relations, from workplace to national levels. The book shows how the processes through which state-led war mobilization transformed the contours of class struggle laid the ground for the emergence of “council democratic” movements with specific characteristics in Germany and Italy and not in the United Kingdom and France.

Advancements in manufacturing strategies and systems have sparked a profound transformation, ushering in a new era of efficiency, precision, and sustainability, driven by the integration of automation, artificial intelligence, and advanced materials, reshaping industries, boosting productivity, reducing costs, and improving the overall quality of products. This book focuses on practical applications of manufacturing technologies, providing case studies and real-world examples of how these advancements in manufacturing are being implemented to solve manufacturing challenges and improve efficiency.Manufacturing Strategies and Systems: Technologies, Processes, and Machine Tools presents numerical, experimental, and computational approaches for various methods of manufacturing and offers different concepts from cross-disciplinary fields, including discussions from mechanical engineering, production engineering, and industrial engineering, and acts as a guide on the modeling and optimization of various manufacturing methods. The book explores key emerging trends in manufacturing technologies, such as Industry 4.0, additive manufacturing, robotics and automation, advanced materials, digital twins, augmented reality/virtual reality, edge computing, sustainable manufacturing, and cyber security. Key chapters on micro- and nanomanufacturing and cellular manufacturing are included and details on the advances in machining, joining, forming, powder metallurgy, casting, and molding science are discussed. Included are original theoretical, experimental, and modeling results of advancements in manufacturing techniques along with recent developments, outlook, and advanced and analytical modeling techniques of manufacturing with examples backed by experimental and numerical data.This reference title provides logical, technical, and analytical solutions and ideas to complex problems faced by researchers and professionals in the field of advancements in manufacturing. Academicians and students will get a comprehensive update on the state of the arts in this area and ample ideas for further research and innovation in manufacturing strategies.

This book explores the transformative impact of artificial intelligence on material science and construction practices in the Industry 4.0 landscape. It enquires into AI history and applications, examining material optimization, smart materials, and AI in construction. Covering automation, robotics, and AI-assisted design, the book provides insights into ethical considerations and future trends. A modern reference for scholars and professionals, it bridges academia and practical applications in the dynamic intersection of AI and materials science.

This two-volume set, LNAI 15051-15052, constitutes the refereed proceedings from the 25th Annual Conference Towards Autonomous Robotic Systems, TAROS 2024, held in London, UK, during August 21-23, 2024. The 54 full papers and 11 short papers presented in these volumes were carefully reviewed and selected from 69 submissions. The papers presented in these two volumes are organized in the following topical sections: - Part I: Robotic Learning, Mapping and Planning; Robotic Modeling, Sensing and Control; Machine Vision. Part II: Human-Robot Interaction/Collaboration; Locomotion and Manipulation; Mechanism Design; Soft Robotics; Swarms and Multi-Agent Systems.

This 10-volume LNCS conference set constitutes the proceedings of the 17th Asian Conference on Computer Vision, in Hanoi, Vietnam, held during December 8–12, 2024. The 270 full papers together included in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 839 submissions. The conference presents and discusses new problems, solutions, and technologies in computer vision, machine learning, and related areas in artificial intelligence.

The multi-volume set of LNCS books with volume numbers 15059 up to 15147 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 18th European Conference on Computer Vision, ECCV 2024, held in Milan, Italy, during September 29–October 4, 2024. The 2387 papers presented in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 8585 submissions. They deal with topics such as computer vision; machine learning; deep neural networks; reinforcement learning; object recognition; image classification; image processing; object detection; semantic segmentation; human pose estimation; 3d reconstruction; stereo vision; computational photography; neural networks; image coding; image reconstruction; motion estimation.

The multi-volume set of LNCS books with volume numbers 15059 upto 15147 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 18th European Conference on Computer Vision, ECCV 2024, held in Milan, Italy, during September 29–October 4, 2024. The 2387 papers presented in these proceedings were carefully reviewed and selected from a total of 8585 submissions. They deal with topics such as Computer vision, Machine learning, Deep neural networks, Reinforcement learning, Object recognition, Image classification, Image processing, Object detection, Semantic segmentation, Human pose estimation, 3D reconstruction, Stereo vision, Computational photography, Neural networks, Image coding, Image reconstruction and Motion estimation.

Contributed by researchers from the Logistics Research Center at Nankai University, this book provides a systematic exposition on the logistics development in China for the English-speaking community at large. The opening chapter offers an in-depth look at the high-quality development of China's logistics industry within the framework of modernization. The book then covers macro-factors related to logistics technologies and facilities, region-specific policies and plans, industry-wide transformation in transport, manufacturing, commerce, and agriculture. The book also addresses the current state and challenges of China's aviation logistics and examines the new initiatives and trends in the nation's bulk commodities logistics within the realm of its national security strategy. Furthermore, the book offers insights into the development and future prospects of China–ASEAN international logistics under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement. As with the previous volumes, this book aims to present a timely portrait of the rapid growth of China's logistics market and the status quo of its logistics industry. It provides an in-depth analysis of critical issues involved in the ongoing dynamic and multi-faceted development and serves as a valuable reference resource for interested readers in the academic and professional fields.

This book presents the proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Electrical, Control and Computer Engineering (InECCE 2023), held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on 22 August 2023. The topics covered are sustainable energy, power electronics and drives and power engineering including distributed/renewable generation, power system optimization, artificial/computational intelligence, smart grid, power system protection and machine learning energy management and conservation. The book showcases some of the latest technologies and applications developed to solve local energy and power problems in order to ensure continuity, reliability and security of electricity for future generations. It also links topics covered the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) areas outlined by the United Nation for global sustainability. The book appeals to professionals, scientists and researchers with experience in industry. The book represents Volume 2 for this conference proceedings, which consist of a 2-volume book series

This book presents the fundamental and applied properties of different phosphor materials that exhibit the phenomenon of persistent luminescence (PerLum). PerLum offers a solution for the limitations of existing fluorescent probes, with new lanthanide-based materials for in vivo bio-imaging and demonstrates the practical applications of these materials. The book offers a basic understanding of PerLum, different mechanisms, models, related spectroscopic techniques, and a few applications essential for anyone interested in learning about PerLum materials. This is partly due to the fact that the property of long-lasting luminescence is closely associated with other properties and functionalities, which besides being essential for many technological applications, such as bioimaging and biosensing, involve in-depth physics and chemistry. Although the concept of luminescence has been explored for many decades, the different types of luminescence have always led to versatile breakthroughs in different fields of science and technology. Among the same is one more well-established phenomenon known as'PerLum,'which is characterized by the maintenance of luminescence for periods ranging from minutes to hours in the absence of an external excitation source. Because of their remarkable properties, an enormous number of PerLum materials have been developed and are now widely used in a variety of fields, particularly bioimaging, biosensing, therapeutics, etc.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), covering their basic concepts, components, and various applications. It delves into the different sensors used in UAVs, the architecture of autonomous UAVs, and the communication tools and devices required to acquire real-time data. The book also explores the software needed to analyze UAV data and the rules and regulations necessary for operating UAVs. The importance of UAV technology is highlighted through its diverse applications in fields such as construction, oil and gas, mining, agriculture, forestry, search and rescue, surveillance, transportation, disaster management, logistics, health, and journalism. The book underscores the potential of UAVs to revolutionize these industries by improving efficiency and safety.Throughout the book, readers will journey from understanding the theory, hardware, and software components of UAVs to exploring their practical uses. Each chapter includes review questions to reinforce understanding, ensuring that readers gain a solid grasp of the subject matter. This text is essential for anyone interested in the current and future impact of UAV technology.

The increasing demand for cleaner and more intelligent energy solutions poses a challenge that resonates across academic, engineering, and policymaking spheres. The complexity of integrating renewable energy sources, energy storage solutions, and advanced communication technologies demands a comprehensive understanding, rigorous analysis, and innovative control strategies. The academic community, in particular, seeks a guiding light through this intricate maze of evolving energy dynamics. Modeling, Analysis, and Control of Smart Energy Systems is a groundbreaking publication that offers more than theoretical exploration; it is a roadmap equipped with the knowledge and tools required to shape the future of energy systems. From laying conceptual foundations to unraveling real-world case studies, the book seamlessly bridges the gap between theory and application. Its comprehensive coverage of mathematical modeling, dynamic system analysis, intelligent control strategies, and the integration of renewable energy sources positions it as an authoritative reference for researchers, engineers, and policymakers alike. For academics seeking to contribute to the advancements in understanding smart energy systems, engineers grappling with real-world challenges, and policymakers shaping the future of sustainable energy, this book is a transformative tool. It catalyzes progress, providing actionable insights into the intricate web of interconnected components defining the smart energy landscape. As we stand at the crossroads of energy transition, Modeling, Analysis, and Control of Smart Energy Systems emerges not just as a book but as a strategic tool to empower individuals to play a pivotal role in creating sustainable and resilient energy ecosystems.

This book provides readers with peer-reviewed research papers presented at the 6th International Conference on Clean Energy and Electrical Systems held in Kyoto, Japan, from April 5 to 7, 2024. This proceedings mainly covers theoretical, technical, and practical methods and practices on clean energy and electrical systems. And it includes nuclear energy and'renewable energy.'With the continuous growth of energy demand and the increasing awareness of environmental protection in countries around the world, it is urgent and imperative to establish a clean energy innovation research and development, promotion, and application system. The book also covers electricity, fuel, thermal, transportation, and water infrastructures and their development and deployment in different regions around the world. The book includes future development trends with analysis of lifecycle and economical models for successful implementation projects.

In the field of equipment/product operation and maintenance (O&M) services, the new generation of information technologies such as the internet, big data, and artificial intelligence are deeply integrated with O&M services to form an internet-based Maintenance Repair & Operation (MRO) service network and an intelligent service environment. To deal with the uncertainties of multiple collaborative entities and highly random equipment failures in the large-scale MRO network, this book establishes the theory, technology, and methods of Intelligent Predictive Maintenance (IPdM) for the MRO service network through the study of high-quality acquisition and integration of multi-source heterogeneous data, data-driven equipment fault diagnosis and prediction, large-scale maintenance decision-making, feedback, and control. The book systematically elaborates on the emerging theories, technologies, and methods in the field of equipment/product O&M services, covering a wide range of topics with rich contents. It emphasizes both systematic and scientific approaches as well as practicality. It offers both comprehensive and specialized discussions to reflect the strategic deployment and implementation of China's new generation of intelligent manufacturing and artificial intelligence in this field. The basis of English translation of this book, originally in Chinese, was facilitated by artificial intelligence. The content was later revised by the author for accuracy.

This volume gathers the latest advances, innovations and applications in the field of condition monitoring, damage assessment and maintenance engineering, as presented by leading international researchers and engineers at the UNIfied Conference of DAMAS (International Conference on Damage Assessment of Structures), IncoME (International Conference on Maintenance Engineering) and TEPEN (The Efficiency and Performance Engineering) Conferences, held in Huddersfield, UK on August 29 – September 1, 2023. Topics include machinery dynamics, sensors and measurement systems, signal processing, structural damage identification and machine fault diagnosis, plant maintenance and reliability, machine health monitoring, asset management, life-cycle cost optimisation, prognostics and health management, maintenance performance measurement, manufacturing process monitoring, and robot-based monitoring and diagnostics. The contributions, which were selected through a rigorous internationalpeer-review process, share exciting ideas that will spur novel research directions and foster new multidisciplinary collaborations.

Since its beginning the International Conference on Applied Sciences and Advanced Technology (ICASAT) was planned as a multidisciplinary space and as a platform to explore the frontiers of knowledge in different areas such as Machine Vision, Biotechnology, Computer Sciences, Mechatronics and, Sustainability. Also, a multidisciplinary perspective is required in all aspects of science, engineering, and research, moving towards a more complete overview of recent advances. On its third edition, ICASAT received works focused on the Trends and Challenges for Global Sustainable Development. This book is a collection of the works presented during ICASAT 2023.

This book gathers timely contributions on metrology and measurement and control systems, across different disciplines and fields of applications. The chapters, which were presented at the 8th International Scientific-Technical Conference, MANUFACTURING 2024, held on May 14-16, 2024, in Poznan, Poland, cover cutting-edge research and best-practices concerning the use of AI-based optical, computed tomographic, coordinate metrology and vision inspection systems to assess manufacturing processes and products. They discuss strategies for automating, and for improving the effectiveness of quality control and measuring processes. All in all, this book provides both researchers and practitioners with a timely guide on cutting-edge measuring and control systems supporting the development of modern manufacturing in the context of digitalization, sustainability and industry applications.

As UAV technology is rapidly evolving, a pervasive need for a thorough investigation of its full capabilities has come to the forefront. Internet of Drone Things: Architectures, Approaches, and Applications fulfils this need enabling its readers to easily find the answers they are seeking by providing a comprehensive overview of the topic.This book, in fact, includes fundamental information related to IoDT architecture design and features; reviews the state of the art in hardware and software platforms to deploy, connect, and control drones or swarms of drones; and covers the latest developments in innovative drone-facilitated applications and services that can significantly improve efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of various operations in modern society and a growing number of its industries. Finally, experimental modeling and simulations are accompanied by prototyping examples, which are set to become the benchmark of next-level automation in the field.Internet of Drone Things: Architectures, Approaches, and Applications is, therefore, an invaluable resource for engineering students, researchers, and professionals, as well as sector experts who work to develop new drone standards or to identify new drone technology use and commercialization areas at an international level. - Educates readers on the fundamental properties of an Internet of Drone Things (IoDT) ecosystem - Guides readers to effective network architecture design through experimental modeling and simulations - Provides in-depth research on the progress made in the domain of UAV networks, routing, sensing, and UAV operation management - Offers state-of-the-art IoDT platform-enabled application examples

A comprehensive reference book that addresses the field of machine vision and its significance in cyber-physical systems. It explores the multidisciplinary nature of machine vision, involving electronic and mechatronic devices, artificial intelligence algorithms, embedded systems, control systems, robotics, interconnectivity, data science, and cloud computing. The book aims to provide advanced students, early career researchers, and established scholars with state-of-the-art knowledge and novel content related to the implementation of machine vision in engineering, scientific knowledge, and technological innovation.The chapters of the book delve into various topics and applications within the realm of machine vision. They cover areas such as camera and inertial measurement unit calibration, technical vision systems for human detection, design and evaluation of support systems using neural networks, UV sensing in contemporary applications, fiber Bragg grating arrays for medical diagnosis, color model creation for terrain recognition by robots, navigation systems for aircraft, object classification in infrared images, feature selection for vehicle/non-vehicle classification, visualization of sedimentation in extreme conditions, quality estimation of tea using machine vision, image dataset augmentation techniques, machine vision for astronomical images, agricultural automation, occlusion-aware disparity-based visual servoing, machine learning approaches for single-photon imaging, and augmented visual inertial wheel odometry.Each chapter is a result of expert research and collaboration, reviewed by peers and consulted by the book's editorial board. The authors provide in-depth reviews of the state of the art and present novel proposals, contributing to the development and futurist trends in the field of machine vision.'Measurements and Instrumentation for Machine Vision'serves as a valuable resource for researchers, students, and professionals seeking to explore and implement machine vision technologies in various domains, promoting sustainability, human-centered solutions, and global problem-solving.

Artificial intelligence (AI) permeates our lives in a growing number of ways. Relying solely on traditional, technology-driven approaches won't suffice to develop and deploy that technology in a way that truly enhances human experience. A new concept is desperately needed to reach that goal. That concept is Human-Centered AI (HCAI).With 29 captivating chapters, this book delves deep into the realm of HCAI. In Section I, it demystifies HCAI, exploring cutting-edge trends and approaches in its study, including the moral landscape of Large Language Models. Section II looks at how HCAI is viewed in different institutions—like the justice system, health system, and higher education—and how it could affect them. It examines how crafting HCAI could lead to better work. Section III offers practical insights and successful strategies to transform HCAI from theory to reality, for example, studying how using regulatory sandboxes could ensure the development of age-appropriate AI for kids. Finally, decision-makers and practitioners provide invaluable perspectives throughout the book, showcasing the real-world significance of its articles beyond academia.Authored by experts from a variety of backgrounds, sectors, disciplines, and countries, this engaging book offers a fascinating exploration of Human-Centered AI. Whether you're new to the subject or not, a decision-maker, a practitioner or simply an AI user, this book will help you gain a better understanding of HCAI's impact on our societies, and of why and how AI should really be developed and deployed in a human-centered future.