3D particle imaging in pharmaceutical containers

A system for three-dimensional (3D) imaging of a sample in a vessel having a longitudinal axis orthogonal to a horizontal plane, the system comprising:

• a plurality of cameras located at different positions around the vessel, wherein each of the plurality of cameras has a respective optical axis, and wherein the optical axis of a tilted camera of the plurality of cameras is inclined or declined at a first angle relative to the horizontal plane, the first angle being greater than or equal to zero degrees;
• a plurality of light sources, each of the plurality of light sources being positioned relative to the vessel and a different one of the cameras so as to provide backlighting of the vessel when the light source is activated;
• and
• a computing system comprising one or more processors and a memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to
• for each camera of the plurality of cameras,
• activate a respective one of the light sources, and
• while the respective light source is activated, trigger the camera to capture a respective two-dimensional (2D) calibration image of the vessel,
• for each 2D calibration image of the respective 2D calibration images, measure a respective vertical position, horizontal position, and rotation of the 2D calibration image, in part by detecting two or more edges of the vessel as depicted in the 2D calibration image, wherein measuring at least the respective vertical position and the respective horizontal position of the 2D calibration image captured by the tilted camera includes using modified versions of expected edge locations or reference image edge locations to compute offsets,
• generate calibration data based on the measured vertical positions, horizontal positions, and rotations for the respective 2D calibration images,
• for each camera of the plurality of cameras, trigger the camera to capture a respective set of 2D images of the sample in the vessel, and
• digitally resample, using the calibration data, at least one set of the respective sets of 2D images to correct for vertical offset, horizontal offset, and rotational offset of the at least one set of 2D images.

A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to:

• for each camera of a plurality of cameras,
• activate a respective one of a plurality of light sources to provide backlighting for a vessel relative to the camera, the vessel having a longitudinal axis orthogonal to a horizontal plane, and
• while the respective light source is activated, trigger the camera to capture a respective two-dimensional (2D) calibration image of the vessel,
• wherein each of the plurality of cameras has a respective optical axis, and wherein the optical axis of a tilted camera of the plurality of cameras is inclined or declined at a first angle relative to the horizontal plane, the first angle being greater than zero degrees;
• for each 2D calibration image of the respective 2D calibration images, measure a respective vertical position, horizontal position, and rotation of the 2D calibration image, in part by detecting two or more edges of the vessel as depicted in the 2D calibration image, wherein measuring at least the respective vertical position and the respective horizontal position of the 2D calibration image captured by the tilted camera includes using modified versions of expected edge locations or reference image edge locations to compute offsets;
• generate calibration data based on the measured vertical positions, horizontal positions, and rotations for the respective 2D calibration images;
• for each camera of the plurality of cameras, trigger the camera to capture a respective set of 2D images of a sample in the vessel;
• and
• digitally resample, using the calibration data, at least one set of the respective sets of 2D images to correct for vertical offset, horizontal offset, and rotational offset of the at least one set of 2D images.