A Proposal to Implement a Course on Vision Systems with Applications in Robotics at the Oregon Institute of Technology

Abstract

Robotics, material handling systems, surveillance, object recognition, and component inspection in manufacturing are just a few of the areas where cameras and vision technology are being combined to design new processes and update existing ones. A problem arises from the wide range of skills and knowledge related to the mechanical set-up, electrical controls and software required to develop and successfully implement these systems. A class that introduces students to this subject matter so they can do projects and work in an industry setting is needed. This paper proposes a course program of study that will be used to introduce Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology students to vision technologies at Oregon Institute of Technology in Klamath Falls Oregon. The main focus of this paper and what differentiates it from other proposals is that it identifies software and computer programming as one of the major barriers that keep Manufacturing and Mechanical Technology students from learning about vision systems and their use in automated/ robotic/ manufacturing applications. Many lessons have been learned through collaborative projects with the computer science and computer software engineering students/faculty. In the past, MET and MFGET departments have worked on aspects of the projects and then turned them over to the computer department for software development. The authors take the approach that introductory “canned” programs can now provide basic functionality and tools, while some libraries of “code” functionality can be found on manufacturer’s web sites and user forums. Finally, pure development of applications is available in a variety of applications programing interfaces “API” languages including Visual Basic, C++, C#, and others. The expected benefits of this course are to provide a language and concept bridges that will allow more ET students to participate in the design and implementation of systems in conjunction with engineers from other disciplines. With the foundation built from this course and previous projects, the department will be able to grow and expand on the work completed each year. There is a need in industry for Mechanical/Manufacturing engineers and technologists with interdisciplinary skills and experience that they get as part of their college education.