Patent Application
20070167837
The present invention relates to three dimensional (3D) scanning technology and, more particularly, to the implementation of a 3D scanner using structured light projected onto the scanned object where visible light is desirable in the scanning chamber or environment.
In the fields of health and fitness, there are a number of methods which are currently used for helping users determine their health/fitness state or status and progress in building muscle mass, losing weight and/or assessing overall health and fitness. The current methods include primarily manual measurement of the user's physical attributes such as height, weight, heart rate, body fat percentage and the size of waist, bust, abdomen, hips, thighs, calves, arms, etc. Convenience, accuracy and reliability are important to generate repeatable and accurate measurements in a manner that is acceptable to the user and provides an overall accurate assessment of health and fitness.
Such traditional approaches include the periodic taking of independent user measurements by manual means, including using tape measures, scales and other independent measuring devices. Typically, such measurements are taken by a health or fitness staff member and are recorded for purposes of tracking the state of the health/fitness of the user and the user's progress. The measurements often vary in accuracy and repeatability due to variations in the techniques employed by the various different staff members. Accuracy may also be compromised by a staff member in an effort to encourage, persuade or assist the user in attaining a stated performance goal. The ability of the staff member to affect the measurement process in differing ways often leads to subjective, and not objective, data collection. While any such traditional measurements may each in their own turn be reliable, accurate and convenient, they do not constitute solutions which can be said to be at the same time reliable, repeatable, accurate and convenient.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/981,008 (hereinafter referred to as “the '008 application”) filed Nov. 4, 2004 (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2996/0154708A1) and entitled “Apparatus and Method for Acquiring and Processing Data Regarding Physical Attributes of a User,” the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method and apparatus for obtaining multiple human body measurements in an automated manner using a system that integrates three dimensional imaging of the user's body with direct measurement of the weight and heart rate of the user. The body measurements are all stored and can be used by the user or others to track his or her current health state as well as the progress of his or her health and fitness or can be sent to a health or fitness provider for the creation of specific assessments and plans. The present invention comprises an improvement upon the scanning methods and apparatus disclosed in the '008 application.
In the field of 3D scanning, the location in a three dimensional coordinate frame of points on the surface of an object or a person being scanned (a “point cloud”) can best be determined by viewing structured light projected onto that surface or person. The minimization of non-structured or ambient light reduces reflected light from sources other than the structured light to allow the signal-to-noise ratio at the light detecting devices to be improved, providing enhanced contrast for the detecting devices. Furthermore, since non-signal return must typically be removed from the detected image to eliminate spurious points, a dark scanning environment with little or no ambient light reduces the complexity and quantity of computational filtering.
Traditional approaches include the creation of a scanning chamber or environment such as disclosed in the '008 application that is designed to minimize visible light. In the case of scanning humans or other living beings, the experience of being scanned in a dark environment may produce unpleasant symptoms of claustrophobia, anxiety and disorientation, and may create a disincentive to use the 3D scanner.
The present invention provides controlled ambient light in a scanning booth such as the one disclosed in the '008 application having spectral components which are limited to bands attenuated by a filter at each detecting device, and structured light for 3D scanning that contains frequencies that are passed by a filter at each detecting device. This allows the scanned object to be bathed in visible ambient light, while each detecting device is only capable of viewing the structured light employed for the scanning process.
Briefly stated, in one embodiment, the present invention comprises an apparatus for acquiring and processing data regarding physical attributes of a user in an accurate, repeatable and automated manner. The apparatus includes a generally enclosed housing sized for receiving a user therein, the housing having an interior and an opening with a door for entry into and exit from the housing by the user, the door, when closed, preventing outside light from entering the housing. At least one structured light source is provided within the housing for projecting structured light onto at least one portion of the body of a user to be scanned within the housing for obtaining spatial measurements of the at least one portion of the body of the user. At least one light detector is located within the housing for detecting structured light reflected from the at least one portion of the body of the user and for generating electrical signals corresponding to the spatial measurements of the at least one portion of the body of the user. At least one source of controlled ambient light is provided within the housing for emitting ambient light having controlled spectral components visible to the user.
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of the invention, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
In the drawings:
Referring to the drawings wherein the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same components throughout the several figures there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention which will now be described in detail. The below described preferred embodiment is only one implementation of a 3D body scanner with controlled ambient light at the blue end of the visible spectrum, low-pass light detector filters that attenuate the blue ambient light, and red laser structured light within the pass band of an optical filter of the light detector. However, it should be clearly understood that the present invention is not limited to the below described embodiment.
There is shown in
In the present embodiment, the scanning booth 12 is generally rectangular shaped in plan view and is sized for receiving a user 18 therein. However, the scanning booth 12 could take on any one of a variety of different shapes or dimensions if desired. The purpose of the scanning booth 12 is to provide a facility to establish an enclosed space to provide privacy for the user 18 when measurements are being taken and to prevent outside light from entering the interior of the scanning booth 12, at least during the scanning process. It will be appreciated by the those of ordinary skill in the art that the size and shape of the scanning booth 12 as well as the location of the scanning booth 12 and the materials from which the scanning booth 12 may be built will vary from application to application and should not be considered to be a limitation on the present invention. For example, in one embodiment, the scanning booth 12 may comprise a tent or a series of curtains which define the enclosed interior 14 whereas in another embodiment, the scanning booth 12 may comprise actual walls formed of a material or combination of materials such as a polymeric material, wood, wood frame, steel or any other such suitable materials.
In the preferred embodiment, the scanning booth 12 contains at least one and preferably a plurality of light detector devices or light detectors 22 at spaced locations and at least one and preferably a plurality of structured light sources 24 at spaced locations within the scanning booth 12. In the embodiment shown in
The scanning booth 12 further includes at least one source of controlled ambient light 36 for emitting ambient light having controlled spectral components which are visible to the user 18 but which are attenuated at the light detectors 22. In the preferred embodiment, the controlled ambient light source 36 is located on one wall of the scanning booth 12. However, the controlled ambient light source 36 could also be located at one or more other locations inside or outside of the scanning booth 12. A plurality of controlled ambient light sources 36 (not shown), preferably at spaced locations within the scanning booth 12 could be employed in particular applications.
The light detector 22 further comprises an optical imager 30 for receiving light and converting the received light into electrical signals and an imager lens 28 for focusing light received from the filter 26 onto the optical imager 30. In the preferred embodiment, the imager lens 28 and optical imager 30 is comprised of a separate assembly which is attached to a printed circuit board (not shown). The imager lens 28 could be integrated into an assembly with the optical imager 30 or could be a separate component. The imager lens 28 is preferably of the convex/planer or some other type so that light passing through the imager lens 28 is focused on to the optical imager 30 as shown. In the preferred embodiment, the optical imager 30 is a VGA resolution black and white CMOS imager. Other optical imagers which may be used include but are not limited to variations in the size and aspect ratio of the optical imager 30 (e.g. SVGA, XGA, WXGA), quantity of imagers, imager type (CMOS, CCD), imagers that respond outside of the visible light spectrum (e.g. infrared) and color imagers. It should be understood that the type and/or construction of the optical imager 30 and/or the imager lens 28 should not be considered to be a limitation on the present invention.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but it is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/748,041 filed Dec. 7, 2005 and entitled “3D Scanning in a Visibly Lit Environment,” the entire subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60748041 | Dec 2005 | US |
