Briefly describe the future of smart cameras as embedded vision systems

  The use of embedded vision will continue to grow rapidly as manufacturers seek economical solutions for automation and machine vision .

  Embedded vision is a term that means slightly different things to different people. For manufacturers who use machine vision for automation and other applications, embedded vision often refers to smart cameras or smart systems. Smart cameras or embedded vision systems are devices that are both cameras and computers. In embedded vision, all processing of the image happens on the camera. In traditional PC-based vision systems, a "dumb" camera sends images to a PC, which processes and analyzes the images. Embedded vision exchanges the complexity and flexibility of PC-based systems for simplicity and compactness, characteristics that make it an extremely useful technology for a growing list of manufacturing applications involving inspection, sorting or picking.

  As technology advances, the use of embedded vision continues to grow. For many applications, embedded vision systems are faster to set up, easier to program, and easier to replace if they fail. Depending on the application, smart cameras can cost less than PC-based systems. Embedded vision systems are also able to handle certain harsh conditions better than traditional machine vision systems. Because of all these advantages, manufacturers are opting for smart cameras more than ever.

Embedded vision systems are easy to use

In most cases, manufacturers who choose embedded vision for their applications will find that the process of setting up the cameras is simpler than setting up a traditional PC-based system. Smart cameras are complete stand-alone systems. The camera can be placed in place, connected to the network, and started working with relatively little effort.

Most smart camera manufacturers design these products with an intuitive user interface, which allows a moderately skilled person to configure the camera in a very short time. More complex PC-based systems often require the help of a programmer to write the code for the application.

Likewise, if a smart camera breaks or needs to be replaced, it's easier, faster, and cheaper to replace it than if a PC-based machine vision system fails. If a smart camera gets whacked by a robot or encounters some other type of mishap, it can be easily replaced by unplugging it, uploading the software to a new camera, and plugging the new camera into the network. Again, no programmer needed. Replacing a standalone smart camera is much less expensive than replacing a traditional machine vision system that includes a PC and a camera or multiple cameras. Using smart cameras can help limit downtime caused by malfunctions or failures and can get machine vision systems up and running again quickly.

Low-cost technology makes embedded vision systems a good choice for many manufacturers

One of the main advantages of embedded vision systems is that they tend to be less expensive than PC-based systems. A single smart camera is less expensive than a PC-based system that includes the PC and a "dumb" camera.

However, cost considerations can be complex. An application involving one PC and six "dumb" cameras may be more economical than six smart cameras. While a single smart camera may cost less, the intuitive, easy-to-use interface may not have the sophistication necessary to achieve the application goals. Sometimes manufacturers have more complex programming requirements, in which case a PC-based system is a must.

This leads to another interesting situation with embedded vision systems. Today’s smart cameras are designed to be easier to deploy and operate, so users don’t need to hire programmers to write code to set up machine vision systems. However, as smart camera technology evolves, users demand greater sophistication, and camera manufacturers face competing demands to provide products that are user-friendly and easy to operate while also providing solutions with increased complexity and flexibility. plan. Camera manufacturers continue to try to meet this challenge by designing smart cameras that are more flexible, while still being intuitive enough to deploy without the help of programmers.

Embedded vision systems can be combined with PC-based vision in certain applications

In some cases, manufacturers will use PC-based vision systems and embedded vision. For example, when it comes to web applications, such as paper production inspection, a PC-based system is usually required. Web applications often require line scan cameras, and smart cameras are generally not line scan cameras. So a manufacturer might have a PC-based system that monitors the paper production process for defects, but they might also have a smart camera further down the line that monitors the packaging of paper rolls to ensure the correct number of rolls goes into each roll. A bag.

Embedded vision is suitable for some harsh conditions

Because embedded vision systems are enclosed, self-contained cameras, they are ideal for applications in environments that may have less than ideal conditions. For example, meat processing applications will require regular flushing for hygiene reasons. While the camera itself won't be flushed, it will undoubtedly receive some spray from cleaning. Since smart cameras are encased in waterproof cases, they can easily withstand the kind of abuse that would destroy traditional cameras.

Another example of ideal conditions for embedded vision is where there may be large amounts of dust in the atmosphere. Dust is problematic for machine vision because if dust lands on a camera's lens, it will interfere with the image acquired by the camera. In dusty environments, it is common to train a fan on the camera lens to keep it clear. This is problematic for traditional cameras, as the fan can create troublesome dust inside the camera housing that can wreak havoc. Because smart cameras are sealed in airtight cases, they are less susceptible to dust seeping into their inner workings, making them a better choice for applications that take place in dusty environments.

The future of embedded vision systems for manufacturing applications

Embedded vision systems help manufacturers achieve automation by reducing costs, simplifying deployment and making operations easier. The technology behind embedded vision is expected to continue to evolve to make these systems faster, cheaper, and more flexible over time.

Despite inevitable technological advances, don't expect smart cameras to completely replace PC-based systems. Traditional machine vision system technology will also continue to evolve and will likely always be several steps ahead of embedded vision system technology. However, the use of embedded vision will continue to grow rapidly as manufacturers seek economical solutions for automation and machine vision.