On 3D vision based active antenna

This paper discusses the 3D vision based active antenna (3D-VBAA) that can detect the contact force and the contact point between an insensitive elastic antenna and a 3D environment. The 3D-VBAA is composed of an insensitive flexible antenna, two actuators, two position sensors, a camera, and a one-axis moment sensor. By utilizing the antenna´s shape mapped into the calibration, plane C, the vision sensor can provide both the contact distance and a force component on C. The moment sensor output allows us to evaluate the force component normal to C. The 3D-VBAA can work even under a compliant object, while the 3D active antenna cannot. We show that the coupling effect between vision and moment sensor depends on the implementation angle of the CCD camera. We verify our idea experimentally