Metrology and Measurement Systems

In this paper methods and their examination results for automatic segmentation and parameterization of vessels based on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of the retina are presented. We present three strategies for morphologic image processing of a fundus image reconstructed from OCT scans. A specificity of initial image processing for fundus reconstruction is analysed. Then, the parameterization step is performed based on the vessels segmented with the proposed algorithm. The influence of various methods on the vessel segmentation and fully automatic vessel measurement is analysed. Experiments were carried out with a set of 3D OCT scans obtained from 24 eyes (12 healthy volunteers) with the use of an Avanti RTvue OCT device. The results of automatic vessel segmentation were numerically compared with those prepared manually by the medical doctor experts.

In the paper, a procedure for precise and expedited design optimization of unequal power split patch couplers is proposed. Our methodology aims at identifying the coupler dimensions that correspond to the circuit operating at the requested frequency and featuring a required power split. At the same time, the design process is supposed to be computationally efficient. The proposed methodology involves two types of auxiliary models (surrogates): an inverse one, constructed from a set of reference designs optimized for particular power split values, and a forward one which represents the circuit S-parameter gradients as a function of the power split ratio. The inverse model directly yields the values of geometry parameters of the coupler for any required power split, whereas the forward model is used for a post-scaling correction of the circuit characteristics. For the sake of illustration, a 10-GHz circular sector patch coupler is considered. The power split ratio of the structure is re-designed within a wide range of ��6 dB to 0 dB. As demonstrated, precise scaling (with the power split error smaller than 0.02 dB and the operating frequency error not exceeding 0.05 GHz) can be achieved at the cost of less than three full-wave EM simulations of the coupler. Numerical results are validated experimentally.

Quality evaluation is very important for haptic rendering. In this paper, an objective evaluation method for a haptic rendering system based on haptic perception features is proposed. In the method, the haptic rendering process is compared to the real world perception process in a simple standardized procedure based on feature extraction and data analysis. A complete evaluation process for a simple haptic rendering task of pressing a virtual spring is presented as an example to explain the method in detail. Compared with the traditional objective method based on error statistics, the method is more concerned about the consistency of human subjective feelings rather than physical parameters, which makes the evaluation process more consistent with the haptic perception mechanism. The results of comparative analysis show that the method presented in this paper is simple, gives reliable results reflecting the consistency with subjective feeling and has a better discrimination ability for different kinds of devices and algorithms compared with the traditional evaluation methods.

Dynamic angle measurement (DAM) plays an important role in precision machining, aerospace, military and artificial intelligence. Because of its advantages including high sensitivity, solid state and miniaturization, fibre-optic gyroscope (FOG) has great application prospects in the field of DAM. In this paper, we propose a dynamic angle metrology method based on FOG and a rotary table to evaluate the DAMaccuracy with FOG. The system synchronously collects data from the FOG and rotary table, and analyses the DAM accuracy of the FOG for different sway conditions compared with that of the angle obtained from the rotary table. An angle encoder in the rotary table provides absolute or incremental angular displacement output with angular displacement measurement accuracy of 10′′ (0:0028◦) and angular displacement repeat positioning accuracy of 3′′ (0:00083◦), and can be used as an angle reference. The experimental results show that the DAM accuracy of the FOG is better than 0:0028◦ obtained with the angular encoder, and the absolute DAM accuracy of the FOG is better than 0:0048◦ for given conditions. At the same time, for the multi-path signal synchronization problem in the metrology field, this paper proposes a signal delay measurement method combining test and algorithm procedures, which can control a delay within 25 μs.

The single-phase voltage loss is a common fault. Once the voltage-loss failure occurs, the amount of electrical energy will not be measured, but it is to be calculated so as to protect the interest of the power supplier. Two automatic calculation methods, the power substitution and the voltage substitution, are introduced in this paper. Considering the lack of quantitative analysis of the calculation error of the voltage substitution method, the grid traversal method and MATLAB tool are applied to solve the problem. The theoretical analysis indicates that the calculation error is closely related to the voltage unbalance factor and the power factor, and the maximum calculation error is about 6% when the power system operates normally. To verify the theoretical analysis, two three-phase electrical energy metering devices have been developed, and verification tests have been carried out in both the lab and field conditions. The lab testing results are consistent with the theoretical ones, and the field testing results show that the calculation errors are generally below 0.2%, that is correct in most cases.

Image segmentation is a typical operation in many image analysis and computer vision applications. However, hyperspectral image segmentation is a field which have not been fully investigated. In this study an analogue- digital image segmentation technique is presented. The system uses an acousto-optic tuneable filter, and a CCD camera to capture hyperspectral images that are stored in a digital grey scale format. The data set was built considering several objects with remarkable differences in the reflectance and brightness components. In addition, the work presents a semi-supervised segmentation technique to deal with the complex problem of hyperspectral image segmentation, with its corresponding quantitative and qualitative evaluation. Particularly, the developed acousto-optic system is capable to acquire 120 frames through the whole visible light spectrum. Moreover, the analysis of the spectral images of a given object enables its segmentation using a simple subtraction operation. Experimental results showed that it is possible to segment any region of interest with a good performance rate by using the proposed analogue-digital segmentation technique.

We present the development of a technique for studying laser-induced magnetization dynamics, based on inductive measurement. The technique could provide a simple tool for studying laser-induced demagnetization in thin films and associated processes, such as Gilbert damping and magnetization precession. It was successfully tested using a nanosecond laser and NiZn ferrite samples and – after further development – it is expected to be useful for observation of ultra-fast demagnetization. The combination of optical excitation and inductive measurement enables to study laser-induced magnetization dynamics in both thin and several micrometre thick films and might be the key to a new principle of ultrafast broadband UV–IR pulse detection.

A navigation complex of an unmanned flight vehicle of small class is considered. Increasing the accuracy of navigation definitions is done with the help of a nonlinear Kalman filter in the implementation of the algorithm on board an aircraft in the face of severe limitations on the performance of the special calculator. The accuracy of the assessment depends on the available reliable information on the model of the process under study, which has a high degree of uncertainty. To carry out high-precision correction of the navigation complex, an adaptive non-linear Kalman filter with parametric identification was developed. The model of errors of the inertial navigation system is considered in the navigation complex, which is used in the algorithmic support. The procedure for identifying the parameters of a non-linear model represented by the SDC method in a scalar form is used. The developed adaptive non-linear Kalman filter is compact and easy to implement on board an aircraft.

The accuracy of vehicle speed measured by a speedometer is analysed. The stress on the application of skew normal distribution is laid. The accuracy of measured vehicle speed depends on many error sources: construction of speedometer, measurement method, model inadequacy to real physical process, transferring information signal, external conditions, production process technology etc. The errors of speedometer are analysed in a complex relation to errors of the speed control gauges, whose functionality is based on the Doppler effect. Parameters of the normal distribution and skew normal distribution were applied in the errors analysis. It is shown that the application of maximum permissible errors to control the measuring results of vehicle speed gives paradoxical results when, in the case of skew normal distribution, the standard deviations of higher vehicle speeds are smaller than the standard deviations of lower speeds. In the case of normal distribution a higher speed has a greater standard deviation. For the speed measurements by Doppler speed gauges it is suggested to calculate the vehicle weighted average speed instead of the arithmetic average speed, what will correspond to most real dynamic changes of the vehicle speed parameters.

In this paper, we present a fibre-optic sensor for simultaneous measurement of refractive index and thickness of liquid layers.We designed an experimental low-coherence setup with two broadband light sources and an extrinsic fibre-optic Fabry–Pérot interferometer acting as the sensing head.We examined how the refractive index of a liquid film and its thickness affect spectrum at the output of a fibre-optic interferometer. We performed a series of experiments using two light sources and only one sensing head. The spectra were collected in ranges of 1220÷1340 nm and 1500÷1640 nm. The obtained results show that using two spectra recorded simultaneously for two wavelength ranges enables to determine thickness in a range of 50÷500 μm, and refractive index of a liquid film in a range of 1:00÷1:41 RIU using only one sensing head.

A ship built from ferromagnetic steel disturbs the uniformity of the Earth’s magnetic field. Changes of ship’s signature are due to the magneto-mechanical interaction of the hull with the Earth’s magnetic field. The ship’s magnetic field can be detected by a magnetic naval mine. For this reason, the vessel has to be demagnetized. There are several methods of ship’s de-perming. The results of experimental and computer simulations of the ship’s de-perming process using coils lying on the seabed are presented in this paper. The simulation of the de-perming process with a hysteresis model of ship’s steel was carried out in Opera-3d 18R2. The laboratory experiments were carried out using a physical ship’s model, several Helmholtz coils, magneto-resistive sensors, etc. The experiments and computer simulations have shown that ship’s de-perming with coils lying on the seabed is possible. The values of coil currents are over dozen times greater than those used in the standard method.

In this article, we study tilted fiber Bragg gratings (TFBGs) with tilt angles of 6◦ and 8◦, their transmission spectra, and spectral parameters that have a linear dependence on the refractive index of the environment. It is shown that there can be several such characteristics, such as the minimum, width and energy of the spectrum. The linear dependence of the spectrum width on the refractive index does not depend on the tilt angle. The linear dependence of the spectrum minimum is only observed for a tilt angle of 8◦. The results of this work can be used to create a sensor system based on an optical fiber.