Apparatus and methods for three-dimensional imaging using a static light screen
A three-dimensional imaging apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a generated first planar light screen, and a first and second detector offset from the perpendicular plane of the light screen. The first detector is located on a first side of the perpendicular plane, and the second detector is located on the opposite side of the perpendicular plane. The first and second detectors detect the instantaneous projection of the first planar light screen upon an object within the first planar light screen, and to output first and second data corresponding to the detected projection. A velocity sensor determines the instantaneous velocity of the object as the object moves relative to the first planar light screen, and to output third data corresponding to the determined velocity. A processor acquires the data from the first and second detector, and the velocity sensor at least two instantaneous times as the object moves relative to the first planar light screen and combines the first, second, and third data to create a three-dimensional image of the object.
1. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus comprising:
at least one planar light screen;
at least one projection detector having a detection axis offset from at the least one planar light screen, the at least one projection detector optically adapted to detect the instantaneous projection of the at least one planar light screen, and to output projection data;
at least one relative motion detector having a detection axis offset from the plane of motion, the relative motion detector adapted to detect motion in at least two axes, and further adapted to output relative motion data;
a processor adapted to acquire at least the projection data and the relative motion data;
wherein the processor is further adapted to use an object tracking algorithm to determine the instantaneous velocity from the relative motion data to generate three-dimensional image data.
2. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one relative motion detector is a camera.
3. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one projection detector is a camera.
4. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the processor utilizes triangulation to produce the three-dimensional image data.
5. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein a Cartesian coordinate system is referenced coplanar to the at least one planar light screen, and wherein at least one projection detector is calibrated to convert the output data to the Cartesian coordinate system.
6. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one relative motion detector is a plurality of relative motion detectors, collectively adapted to detect rotation about at least one axis.
7. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , including a second planar light screen, wherein the second planar light screen is substantially perpendicular to the first planar light screen.
8. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , including a second planar light screen.
9. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a height detector adapted to detect a height of the object proximate the first planar light screen, and adapted to output height data corresponding to the detected height.
10. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the processor is further adapted to biometrically match at least a portion of the generated three dimensional image data with at least a portion of at least one three-dimensional image.
11. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the three dimensional image is a face.
12. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a supplemental biometric detector adapted to detect at least one biometric characteristic.
13. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the supplemental biometric detector is an iris detector, a two dimensional face detector, a two dimensional ear detector, or a three dimensional ear detector.
14. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 10 , wherein the processor utilized triangulation to create the three-dimensional image data.
15. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the processor renders the three-dimensional image data to a display.
16. A three-dimensional imaging apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first detector is offset from the plane perpendicular to the first planar light screen in a first direction, and wherein a second detector is offset from the plane perpendicular to the first planar light screen in a second direction, different from the first direction.
17. A method of generating a three-dimensional image of an object comprising:
creating at least one planar light screen;
detecting the projection of the at least one planar light screen upon the object;
outputting data corresponding to the detected projection from the at least one planar light screen;
determining the velocity along at least two axes of the object relative to the light screen using an object tracking algorithm;
creating at least one three-dimensional image data output by combining at least the velocity with data from at least one planar light screen.
18. The method of generating a three-dimensional image of an object as defined in claim 17 , wherein at least a portion of the generated three dimensional image data is compared with at least a portion of at least a second three-dimensional image.
19. The method of generating a three-dimensional image of an object as defined in claim 18 , wherein the three dimensional image is a face.
20. The method of generating a three-dimensional image of an object as defined in claim 17 , further comprising rendering the three-dimensional image data to a display.