OPTICAL FIBER PROBE FOR POSITION MEASUREMENT

摘要

Improved point source electromagnetic radiation emitters including a dispersing element that radiates electromagnetic radiation over a very wide conical angle of approa ching about 180.degree.. This light dispersing element can be in any one or more of several illustrated f orms such as a light diffusing spherical or hemispherical element, a planar diffusing plate, a tapered light guide, a plano-concave lens, a convex mirror, a light pipe with a large numerical apert ure, or the like. The emitter of this invention may be fixed to an object and tracked in a 3-dimen sional volume by a system using electro-optical position sensors in order to determine the spa tial location of the emitters and therefore to determine, by geometry, the position and orientati on of the object. The electromagnetic radiation generator is preferably disposed remote from the e mitter and is electrically and magnetically isolated from the emitter. A common optical fiber provides transmission of the radiation from the generator to the emitter. The emitted rad iation more nearly resembles point source of radiation and therefore enables more accurate d etermination of the location of the radiating element, and thereby more accurate determination o f the position and orientation of the object on which the emitters reside. The preferred electr omagnetic radiation generator is an LED, most preferably a laser diode.