Computer vision is a branch of artificial intelligence that enables machines to see, analyze and understand images and videos. It has many applications in various industries, such as manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, security and entertainment. In this blog post, we will focus on how computer vision can be used in industrial settings to assist and make people more productive, not to replace them.
Industrial vision is the use of computer vision to automate tasks that require visual inspection, measurement, verification, identification or guidance in industrial processes. But how does industrial vision work? The basic steps are:
– Image acquisition: A camera or sensor captures an image or video of the object or scene to be analyzed.
– Image processing: The image or video is enhanced, filtered, segmented or transformed to extract relevant features or information.
– Image analysis: The features or information are interpreted, classified, measured or compared using algorithms or models.
– Image output: The results of the analysis are displayed, stored, transmitted or used to trigger an action or decision.
Some of the benefits of industrial vision are:
– It can improve the quality and performance of products and processes, by detecting defects, errors or anomalies, ensuring accuracy and consistency, and reducing rework and waste.
– It can reduce costs and increase profitability, by saving time and resources, optimizing production and logistics, and enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
– It can increase safety and satisfaction, by preventing accidents and injuries, protecting workers from hazardous environments or materials, and improving working conditions and morale.
– It can create new opportunities and innovations, by enabling new products or services, enhancing existing ones, or discovering new markets or niches.
However, industrial vision is not meant to replace human workers, but rather to augment their capabilities and skills. Computer vision systems can perform tasks that are tedious, repetitive, dangerous or impossible for humans to do, such as inspecting thousands of items per hour, working in extreme temperatures or lighting conditions, or handling hazardous materials. By delegating these tasks to machines, human workers can focus on more creative, complex or strategic aspects of their work, such as designing new products, solving problems or managing teams. Computer vision systems can also provide valuable feedback and information to human workers, such as alerting them of errors or anomalies, suggesting improvements or optimizations, or facilitating communication and collaboration.
Therefore, computer vision is a powerful tool that can assist and make people more productive in industrial settings. It is not a threat to human workers, but a partner that can help them achieve their goals and potential.