Object registration using an RGB-D camera for complex product augmented assembly guidance

Abstract Background Augmented assembly guidance aims to help users complete assembly operations more efficiently and quickly through augmented reality technology, breaking the limitations of traditional assembly guidance technology which is single in content and boring in way. Object registration is one of the key technologies in augmented assembly guidance process, which can affect the location and direction of virtual assembly guidance information in real assembly environment. Methods This paper presents an object registration method based on RGB-D camera, which combines Lucas-Kanade (LK) optical flow algorithm and Iterative Closet Point (ICP) algorithm. An augmented assembly guidance system for complex products through this method is built. Meanwhile, in order to compare the effectiveness of the proposed method, we also implemented object registration based on an open source augmented reality SDK Vuforia. Results An engine model and a complex weapon cabin equipment are taken as an case to verify this work. The result shows that the registration method proposed in this paper is more accurate and stable compared with that based on Vuforia and the augmented assembly guidance system through this method greatly improves the user's time compared with the traditional assembly. Conclusions Therefore, we can conclude that the object registration method mentioned in this paper can be well applied in the augmented assembly guidance system, which can do enhance the efficiency of assembly considerably.