Automated model verification of the International Space Station for path planning

The goal of this project is an automated model verification tool for the International Space Station. The 3D model of the ISS is used as a basis for path-planning the European Robotic Arm. The ISS contains several different types of video cameras. The images from these cameras are used to verify the model. Each camera image is compared with an artificially generated image by a graphics engine. An iterative approach optimizes the artificial image generation by calculating the exact camera orientation. The 2D match can be traced back to a position in 3D space. The system was tested with the use of a mock-up of the ISS. Test results show that the model verification system detects object changes as small as 2% of the field of vision. © 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.