Non-contact measurement device

A method of determining three-dimensional coordinates of points on a surface on an object, the method comprising:

• providing a device that includes a manually positionable articulated arm portion, a base section, a probe assembly, and a second processor, the arm portion having opposed first and second ends, the arm portion including a plurality of connected arm segments, each arm segment including at least one position transducer for producing a position signal, the base section connected to the second end, the probe assembly connected to the first end, the probe assembly including a housing, a first processor, a projector, and a camera, the projector disposed within the housing, the projector having a light source configured to emit a first light on the surface of the object, the projector being configured to project the first light to form a line on a plane arranged perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the first light, the camera arranged within the housing, the camera including a lens and an image sensor, the image sensor having an array of pixels on a sensor plane, the first processor coupled to the image sensor, there being a baseline distance between the projector and the camera, the second processor external to the housing;
• emitting from the projector the first light onto the surface;
• receiving with the lens a second light, the second light being a reflection of the first light from the surface;
• imaging with the lens the second light onto the sensor plane and, in response, sending a first electrical signal to the first processor;
• determining with the first processor a plurality of centroids of the points on the surface, the plurality of centroids based at least in part on the first electrical signal;
• receiving with the second processor the plurality of centroids;
• determining with the second processor the three-dimensional coordinates of the points on the surface based at least in part on the position signals, the plurality of centroids, and the baseline distance;
• and
• storing the three-dimensional coordinates of the points on the surface.