A Review of Computer Microvision-Based Precision Motion Measurement: Principles, Characteristics, and Applications

Microengineering/nanoengineering is an emerging field that enables engineering and scientific discoveries in the microworld. As an effective and powerful tool for automation and manipulation at small scales, precision motion measurement by computer microvision is now broadly accepted and widely used in microengineering/nanoengineering. Unlike other measurement methods, the vision-based techniques can intuitively visualize the measuring process with high interactivity, expansibility, and flexibility. This article aims to comprehensively present a survey of microvision-based motion measurement from the collective experience. Working principles of microvision systems are first introduced and described, where the hardware configuration, model calibration, and motion measurement algorithms are systematically summarized. The characteristics and performances of different microvision-based methods are then analyzed and discussed in terms of measurement resolution, range, degree of freedom, efficiency, and error sources. Recent advances of applications empowered by the developed computer microvision-based methods are also presented. The review can be helpful to researchers who engage in the development of microvision-based techniques and provide the recent state and tendency for the research community of vision-based measurement, manipulation, and automation at microscale/nanoscale.