Camera-Based Safety System for Optical Wireless Power Transmission Using Dynamic Safety-Distance

Abstract

This paper introduces a new safety approach for Optical Wireless Power Transmission (OWPT), a technology that is integral to the new kinds of Wireless Power Transmission technology (WPT). It starts from the fundamental configuration of the current OWPT system, addressing the safety concerns related to lasers by involving laser irradiation hazards, laser exposure regulation and guidelines, and a comparison with other safety methods. A camera-based OWPT safety system focused on the emission control of the light source is proposed, and it utilizes a depth camera and finely tuned computer vision-based control program. Through meticulous system design and experiments, the proposed system can detect moving objects in a limited indoor environment and control the laser/LED light transmission according to the object’s velocity dynamically. Various functions and exclusive improvements towards OWPT operation are mentioned, and Dynamic Safety-Distance is proposed as the core mechanism of the safety system. Through on-site experiments, indoor safety control and system operation’s evaluation are discussed, acknowledging both the advantages and limitations of the proposed safety system. This paper concludes with suggestions for further developments in camera-based OWPT safety incorporating the concept of Automatic Emission Control.