MENLO PARK, Calif.,
Sept. 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- SRI
International (SRI), a nonprofit research center, announced their
collaboration with Kawada Technologies, Inc. (KTI) and Kawada
Industries to develop Xtreme Dynamic Range (XDR) weld visualization
technology that uses image processing to visualize live weld
details to the welder safely. XDR has been further applied to a
next-generation, 3D-welding helmet that uses cameras to completely
transform the world of welding.
XDR Weld Visualization Technology
For this project, the objective was to enable a larger number of
welders and improve their welding quality by greatly enhancing
visibility of the welding scene, including the welding tip, welds
and surrounding welding scene using ordinary image sensors rather
than special high cost image sensors. Specifically, the newly
developed technique manages shutter speed and the time at which
images are captured with microsecond resolutions to acquire images
to perform real-time XDR Fusion. These captured frames with
different exposure conditions are image-processed by a wearable
battery-operated GPU to synthesize the frames in real-time into one
3D stereo vision stream for visualization within the helmet. As a
result, instead of the limited commercial camera dynamic ranges of
60-70 dB, the dynamic range of the visualized scene using
commercial cameras in the XDR welding helmet, is expanded up to 150
dB without the need for special image sensors. In addition, using
commercially available devices allows the welding helmet to benefit
from high volume costing and proven component reliabilities.
Next-Generation, 3D-Welding Helmet
The next-generation, 3D-welding helmet equipped with XDR acquires
and synthesizes images as a stereo camera unit. These images are
displayed, with minimal delay, inside the helmet on a head-mounted
display (HMD) as a stereo image. This helmet system runs on
wearable hot-swappable batteries and therefore can be used
indefinitely in environments that have no external power source. A
welder wearing the next-generation, 3D-welding helmet will be able
to weld more reliably due to the ability to view weld beads, the
welded items and the working environment, which are collectively
difficult to see using traditional welding helmets. The helmet also
includes display and recording functions of various real-time
welding status parameters related to welding (temperature, voltage,
current, etc.). This allows welders to easily collect and check
useful information to ensure a high-quality weld, which in turn
accelerates the learning curve. Finally, the welder's eyes are
completely protected from arcs because the weld is viewed
indirectly through the screen in the helmet.
SRI International, a research center headquartered in
Menlo Park, California, creates
world-changing solutions to make people safer, healthier and more
productive. Kawada Industries' unique techniques for manufacturing
thick steel plates have led to much success in the construction and
bridge engineering industries. KTI Kawada Group began this project
with the goal of passing on these core techniques of their
tradecraft in an effective and sustainable manner. With the
cooperation of SRI, KTI Kawada Group developed XDR, which enables
one to shorten the time required to train new welding technicians
while continuing to pass down welding knowledge in an effective
manner. KTI Kawada Group is also working on analyzing data obtained
by the helmet to perform various tests for improving the quality
and reliability of welding.
"Kawada came to SRI with a need to greatly shorten the time
required to train new welding technicians while continuing to pass
down welding knowledge in an effective manner to new welders," said
Mike Piacentino, Senior Technical
Director of Vision Systems for SRI International. "The real-time
weld-visualization technology developed by SRI provides higher
dynamic range to allow humans and robotic welders to see more than
just the welding tip. The ability to view real-time welds maintains
quality and informs the welder of low quality or possibly failing
welds, which is a critical advantage over conventional welding
where precision welds are critical to structural integrity and
public safety of infrastructure such as construction and bridge
engineering."
The next-generation, 3D-welding helmet will be improved over the
next year and will be utilized to teach technical welding skills at
Kawada Industries. The KTI Kawada group is expected to gain
insights that can be applied to support new technological and
product developments.
"Welding is the most important and difficult skill to transfer
from skilled welders to novice welders," said Noriyuki Kanehira, Project Leader and Director,
Kawada Technology Research Center. "Visualization is the key. In
conventional welding, the operator can see only the tiny bright
area of the arc and everything else is darkened by the thick
shading filter attached to a welding helmet. This new technology
developed by SRI clearly visualizes the entire area of the
workspace with appropriate brightness and contrast. Welding
visualization directly leads to stabilizing welding quality and
providing trace-ability."
About SRI International
SRI International is an independent, nonprofit research center that
works with clients to take the most advanced R&D from the
laboratory to the marketplace. SRI is headquartered at Menlo Park, California, USA. Serving
government and industry, they collaborate across technical and
scientific disciplines to generate real innovation and create high
value for clients. They invent solutions that solve the most
challenging problems today and look ahead to the needs of the
future. For more than 70 years, SRI has led the discovery and
design of ground-breaking products, technologies, and industries –
from Siri and online banking to medical ultrasound, cancer
treatments, and much more.
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SOURCE SRI International