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GithubIn industrial inspection and automation control systems, the displacement accuracy of mechanical structures (such as telescopic rods, push-pull mechanisms, sliding rail platforms, etc.) is directly related to equipment operational stability and measurement reliability. Traditional displacement sensors or encoders are difficult to install in confined spaces and are susceptible to dust, vibration, and mechanical wear, resulting in higher maintenance costs. To address this, industrial inspection equipment manufacturers plan to adopt the optical flow tracking function of SingTown Technology's OpenMV smart camera to achieve a non-contact displacement measurement solution.
The camera is fixed externally to the device, approximately 50cm from the object under test. By analysing the optical flow changes of surface feature points, the telescopic displacement of the device (within a range of about 25cm) is calculated. This module will be embedded into self-developed industrial equipment to achieve high-precision, low-cost dynamic displacement monitoring, with data output via a serial port for use by an upper computer or control unit.

Industrial inspection equipment manufacturers utilise the optical flow detection solution based on SingTown Technology's OpenMV smart camera, employing the motion changes of image feature points to achieve real-time displacement measurement for telescopic devices.
The system continuously captures video frames via the camera, with the built-in optical flow tracking algorithm monitoring key feature regions and calculating pixel displacement between adjacent frames.
By combining the fixed distance between the camera and the target object with the known field of view, the system can convert pixel displacement into actual physical displacement, thereby measuring the extension length of the device.
In practical deployment, the camera is fixedly installed approximately 50 cm from the device, and optical flow calculation is performed by observing the natural texture on the device surface or specific marker points (such as contrast stickers).
The algorithm automatically filters out errors caused by lighting variations and minor vibrations, and obtains a continuous displacement curve through time integration.
Test results indicate that within a 25 cm extension range, the measurement error can be controlled within ±1mm, with a response time below 50ms.
This solution features edge deployment capability, enabling independent detection without additional sensors. It is suitable for applications such as expansion joints, hydraulic cylinder displacement detection, and automated platform position feedback.
Simultaneously, this embedded vision system can output real-time displacement data via serial port or I²C interface, supporting integration with PLC or microcontroller systems to achieve precise motion control.
SingTown's OpenMV intelligent camera employs optical flow detection technology, endowing industrial equipment with high-sensitivity, contact-free, and maintenance-free displacement measurement capabilities. It provides reliable and efficient visual solutions for enterprise intelligent inspection systems.

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