Patent ID: 7801638

Claim:
A system comprising: a light source adapted to emit a collimated light beam onto a contoured surface of an object, the collimated light beam adapted to illuminate a profile of the contoured surface; a first sensor, separate from the light source, adapted to detect the illuminated profile of the contoured surface and to generate a first signal based at least in part on the illuminated profile; a second sensor adapted to detect a position of the object with respect to the first sensor and generate a position detection signal; a processor in operative communication with the first and second sensors, the processor adapted to receive the first signal and position detection signal and to compare the first signal with a second signal associated with a predefined profile, wherein the processor is adapted to generate a third signal based on a comparison of the first and second signals; and a controller in operative communication with the processor, the controller adapted to receive the third signal and to generate a motion control signal in response to the third signal, the motion control signal based on an attribute of the predefined profile.