SRI International Partners with Kawada Technologies and Kawada Industries to Introduce Weld-Visualization Technology and Next-Generation, 3D-Welding Helmet

New 3D-welding helmet will allow for training new welders and enhancing productivity of existing welders,by presenting a live high dynamic range scene and welding data safely to the welder's eyes

MENLO PARK,California,Sept. 19,2019 --SRI International (SRI),a nonprofit research center,announced their collaboration with Kawada Technologies,Inc. (KTI) and Kawada Industries to develop Xtreme Dynamic Range (XDR) weld visualization technology that uses image processing to visualize live weld details to the welder safely. XDR has been further applied to a next-generation,3D-welding helmet that uses cameras to completely transform the world of welding.

SRI International XDR Helmet In Use

XDR Weld Visualization Technology

For this project,the objective was to enable a larger number of welders and improve their welding quality by greatly enhancing visibility of the welding scene using ordinary image sensors rather than special high cost image sensors. Specifically,the newly developed technique manages shutter speed and the time at which images are captured with microsecond resolutions to acquire images to perform real-time XDR Fusion. As a result,instead of the limited commercial camera dynamic ranges of 60-70 dB,the dynamic range of the visualized scene using commercial cameras in the XDR welding helmet,is expanded up to 150 dB without the need for special image sensors.

Next-Generation,3D-Welding Helmet

The next-generation,3D-welding helmet equipped with XDR acquires and synthesizes images as a stereo camera unit. These images are displayed,with minimal delay,inside the helmet on a head-mounted display (HMD) as a stereo image. This helmet system runs on wearable hot-swappable batteries and therefore can be used indefinitely in environments that have no external power source. The helmet also includes display and recording functions of various real-time welding status parameters related to welding (temperature,voltage,current,etc.). This allows welders to easily collect and check useful information to ensure a high-quality weld,which in turn accelerates the learning curve. Finally,the welder's eyes are completely protected from arcs because the weld is viewed indirectly through the screen in the helmet.

SRI International,a research center headquartered in Menlo Park,creates world-changing solutions to make people safer,healthier and more productive. Kawada Industries' unique techniques for manufacturing thick steel plates have led to much success in the construction and bridge engineering industries. With the cooperation of SRI,KTI Kawada Group developed XDR. KTI Kawada Group is also working on analyzing data obtained by the helmet to perform various tests for improving the quality and reliability of welding.

"Kawada came to SRI with a need to greatly shorten the time required to train new welding technicians while continuing to pass down welding knowledge in an effective manner to new welders," said Mike Piacentino,Senior Technical Director of Vision Systems for SRI International. "The real-time weld-visualization technology developed by SRI provides higher dynamic range to allow humans and robotic welders to see more than just the welding tip. The ability to view real-time welds maintains quality and informs the welder of low quality or possibly failing welds,which is a critical advantage over conventional welding where precision welds are critical to structural integrity and public safety of infrastructure such as construction and bridge engineering."

The next-generation,3D-welding helmet will be improved over the next year and will be utilized to teach technical welding skills at Kawada Industries. The KTI Kawada group is expected to gain insights that can be applied to support new technological and product developments.

"Welding is the most important and difficult skill to transfer from skilled welders to novice welders," said Noriyuki Kanehira,Project Leader and Director,Kawada Technology Research Center. "Visualization is the key. This new technology developed by SRI clearly visualizes the entire area of the workspace with appropriate brightness and contrast. Welding visualization directly leads to stabilizing welding quality and providing trace-ability."

About SRI International

SRI International is an independent,nonprofit research center that works with clients to take the most advanced R&D from the laboratory to the marketplace. SRI is headquartered at Menlo Park,USA. Serving government and industry,they collaborate across technical and scientific disciplines to generate real innovation and create high value for clients. They invent solutions that solve the most challenging problems today and look ahead to the needs of the future. For more than 70 years,SRI has led the discovery and design of ground-breaking products,technologies,and industries – from Siri and online banking to medical ultrasound,cancer treatments,and much more.

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