Advances in photogrammetric measurement solutions

In recent years, industrial photogrammetry has emerged from a highly specialized niche technology to a well established tool in industrial coordinate measurement applications with numerous installations in a significantly growing market of flexible and portable optical measurement systems. This is due to the development of powerful, but affordable video and computer technology. The increasing industrial requirements for accuracy, speed, robustness and ease of use of these systems together with a demand for the highest possible degree of automation have forced universities and system manufacturers to develop hard- and software solutions to meet these requirements. The paper will show the latest trends in hardware development, especially new generation digital and/or intelligent cameras, aspects of image engineering like use of controlled illumination or projection technologies, and algorithmic and software aspects like automation strategies or new camera models. The basic qualities of digital photogrammetry-like portability and flexibility on one hand and fully automated quality control on the other-sometimes lead to certain conflicts in the design of measurement systems for different online, offline or real-time solutions. The paper will further show, how these tools and methods are combined in different configurations to be able to cover the still growing demands of the industrial end-users.