PATRONUS
The general objective of the PATRONUS project is the development of a novel industrial process for the manufacture of plates that generate a speckle pattern (PATRONUS) that allows the mass production of these plates for their application through speckle interferometry to the 3D reconstruction of surfaces.
Speckle interferometry consists of the analysis of intensity patterns produced by interference. These patterns are a valuable source of information about the illuminated surface since, through software, it allows the 3D reconstruction of what is lighting.
This technology allows to facilitate and offer more comforts, a clear example is found in portable consoles. Specifically, the appearance of the Kinect for Xbox 360 and the equivalent system of its competitors Wiimote with Wii MotionPlus and PlayStation Move. This device allows users to control and interact with the console without the need for contact. Another clear example used on a daily basis is in the field of mobile telephony, unlocking by facial recognition.
Current manufacturing processes are based on photolithography and have very high costs and require high precision of execution. There are also other manufacturing processes such as injection, which uses a mold in which a pattern or a specific shape has been machined, with the limitation of this technology. Likewise, there is also the possibility of direct machining of the substrates producing the plate, but it is a critical alternative due to the high precision required and the high manufacturing costs.
The development of PATRONUS will allow the manufacture of plates with speckle pattern, with any transparent substrate, plastic or glass, by spraying the appropriate coatings and creating specific patterns. Using a stencil will allow the spray to cure to a certain pattern that will produce the speckle for which it was designed. In this way, we will avoid the use of very expensive technologies that increase the cost of manufacturing the product, as well as its final cost, or the use of harmful substances.
In addition, PATRONUS considers the opportunity to introduce these speckle generating plates in new applications such as assisting drones in confined places (for example, sewers, mines, etc.), as well as the 3D estimation of the volume. objects at a distance, already require a new variety of speckle patterns.
Project RTC2019-007422-4 from program “Retos de Colaboración 2019” funding by MCIN / AEI /10.13039/501100011033