Estimation of Probe Angles Based on Inertial Measurement and Human Skill Assessment

Nondestructive testing technicians need sufficient training and experience to become a qualified technician. The purpose of this research is to develop a highly effective education system based on quantitatively evaluating the behavior of qualified technicians. The target nondestructive test is eddy current testing to evaluate cracks around fastener holes in metal alloys using an eddy current probe. The probe has an inertial sensor, which measures the motion of the probe. A PC estimates the posture of the probe from the measurement data. A PC camera captures the eyes of a technician and determines the position of the line of sight whether the detected voltage on the screen or the test pieces at hand. Through a fundamental experiment by qualified and unqualified technicians, we found that the posture of the probes of the qualified technicians was constant and vertical, and they were looking at the detected voltage rather than the test.