April Images
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 14:33:42 -0700
From: Terry Long
To: "'wohn2@yahoo.com'"
Subject: Skill Technologies and Metal Detection
Dear Michael,
Thank you for your email request about the metal detection. This sounds
like a pretty interesting way of using the system, when in fact we try to
avoid metal as much as possible. We have even gone to lengths as to
program an algorithm that removes the effects of metal when it is present
in the environment.
We sat and looked at this and decided it was something the technology
could
possibly do, but of course is not in our software currently. We figured
that the transmitter of the EM (Electro-magnetic) signal could be located
on the top of a scanning rod, much like a metal detector, with the battery
pack on the soldier, using a telemetered version of the technology. The
sensors could be placed at know locations(distances and orientations) on a
flat surface(non metallic) in a circle or multisided geometry pattern.
Having the known distances, when metal starts to distort(make the
apparent
distance and orientation change) the sensor, it will effect the one
closest
to it first then the next closest, and so on. This info could be passed
to
the program for some type of analysis, based on known mine configurations
and maybe be able to give feedback on size and shape or type. What about
mines in plastic cases with very little metal in it?
This is of course all conjecture at this point and would have to be a
research project and would have to have programmer funding, etc. We would
be interested in this project if the appropriate funding was available.
It
wouldn't be something we could take on due to the marketability for others
being minimum. I hope you understand.
Let me know your thoughts and if there is cause for us both to continue
talking and looking into this further. I hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks again.
Regards,
Terry W. Long
V.P. of Marketing
Skill Technologies Inc.
Telephone: (602)277-7678
Fax: (602)277-2326
Website: http://www.skilltechnologies.com
My email: terry@skilltechnologies.com
General email: skill@skilltechnologies.com
Skill Technologies Inc., "The True 3D, True Real-Time Motion Analysis
Company"
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 11:34:12 -0700
From: Lee Barnes
To: wohn2@yahoo.com
Subject: Motion Tracking
Hi Michael,
I received your original email and mailing address from Rebecca Cole at
Charnwood Dynamics Ltd. regarding your interest in the CODA mpx30 Motion
Analysis System. B & L Engineering is the exclusive North American
Distributor of the CODA System. You have a very interesting project in
determining the position of mines using a mine detector and other
available technology.
The CODA mpx30 uses active markers (LED's powered by very small marker
drive boxes - battery powered). The primary use of the CODA system so
far has been in Biomechanics and Gait Laboratories. We are getting quite
a lot of interest from a wide variety of other uses.
Your application would seem to require portable outdoor use. We have
used the system outdoors, but only under shaded conditions or on a very
cloudy day. Direct sunlight overloads the marker drive boxes and the
CODA scanner to marker communication fails. I believe that a custom CODA
scanner could be made to be portable with some kind of battery power.
I'll pass along your original email to the designer of the CODA system
and ask if he thinks a custom CODA could fill your needs.
Lee A. Barnes
B & L Engineering
3002 Dow Ave., Suite 416
Tustin, CA 92780
TEL: (714) 505-9492
FAX: (714) 505-9493
Email: lee@bleng.com
www.bleng.com
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 08:40:52 -0400
From: Tom Jones
To: wohn2@yahoo.com
Subject: RE: motion/possition tracking
Hi Michael,
This is indeed an intriguing challenge and I have forwarded it to my
engineering department. At this time there are many concerns that would
have
to be overcome--such as a portable power source for the FASTRAK and the
metal in the mine detector. If you would like to discuss this with me my
phone number is 1-800-357-4777 ext. 234.
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 1999 09:14:58 +0100
From: Rebecca Cole
To: michael konieczny
Subject: RE: CODA mpx30 motion analysis system
Dear Mr Konieczny
Thank you for your interest in our CODA motion analysis system.
The application you described sounds very interesting, in principle our
system could be of use to you. Could you please inform me of your full
postal address and institution details so that I send you the relevant
liturature.
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 1999 13:09:35 +0300
From: ilkka.kauppi@vtt.fi
To: michael konieczny
Subject: Re: possition tracking
Dear Michael,
I didn't get a clear picture of your application. Is the metal detector
handhold type or is it a part of some bigger structure. What is the
distance
variation between the user and the detector.
If you put transmitters or receivers on the body of the user then the
coordinate system is also fixed to the user - if the user turns to the
left
the coordinate system also turns. Our ultrasonic system operates using the
following principles:
1. Transmitters are placed at known positions and the receiver(s) are
placed
on the moving object.
2. At least 3 transmitters are needed (we use 4-8). To position an object
the
detector must "see" at least 3 transmitters concurrently - there can't be
any
obstacles between the transmitter and the receiver.
3. The distance range can be 0 - 10 m and the position calculation update
rate
is 10 Hz.
4. Accuracy is in the range of 2mm - 5cm depending on the geometry and
environ-
mental disturbances.
The following text is a detailed description of our system.
Our ultrasonic positioning device is originally designed to position
autonomous vehicles in indoor applications. But later we have found many
other applications for the system. The first test device
has been used about one year in a concrete factory and the application
there is to digitize quite
large concrete objects for automatic robotic grinding. The measured
distances in that application are about 10 m and the position accuracy is
about 3 mm (we use differential measurement in that application to
compensate errors caused by wind, humidity, ...).
The device has 2 electronics cards (size 100 x 70 mm), at least 4 small
ultrasonic transmitters (size 15x10 mm) and a detector (size 6x6 mm) and a
power supply (12 VDC) and cables. We also use
PC (connected with RS232 or radio) to show position in graphics and in
some
applications the position calculations are done in the PC (It's easier to
program the PC than the microcontroller, which is 16 bits Siemens
SAB80C166).
Below is described our current device configuration.
The transmitters are mounted above the area where we want to position
something. The transmitters are connected to the amplifier card (8
transmitters can be conneced to a single card) which is powered with 12
VDC
(current consumpion is quite small). This amplifier card is connected to
the PC's parallel port and PC loads the noise sequence for each
transmitter
in card's RAM-memory. Then the amplifier card starts automaticly and
independently drive ultrasonic noise signals through the transmitters. The
other electronics card is located in an object that we want to position.
It
is powered with a battery (current consumption is about 200 mA with 5 V -
I'm not sure about that) and at the moment this card is connected to the
PC
with RS232-cable. In near future we will replace the cable with a radio
card (this card has a PCMCIA connector for a radio card and we tested one
commercial radio from XIRCOM but it was not good).
The system is calibrated by showing 4 measured positions on the floor for
the detector. The device measures the distances from each position to the
transmitters and finally calculates the positions of the transmitters.
We use ultrasonic pseudorandom noise signals and crosscorrelation
technique
and thus the signal to noise ratio is very good in our system and thus the
system also works in environments with high disturbances.
At the moment we are searching for a company which could commercialize the
system and make it a product and now we only have a few pieces of
prototype
products.
The final product will be rather inexpensive because of low cost
components, but at the moment it requires some work to modify and build
the
system to fulfill customers needs.
Date: Mon, 12 Apr 99 8:45:10 EDT
From: Dale Hubler
To: michael konieczny
Subject: Re: detector tracking
We are using an immersadesk for VR work, It is hooked
up to an SGI. The work is being done in the graphics group,
their web pages are at http://gvis.grc.nasa.gov