Robotic Vision: Today’s Solution for Automation and Efficiency

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Without robotic vision, many modern business processes would not be possible. From product inventory, to manufacturing, to quality assurance, and even shipping, this technology is nearly everywhere today. This essential piece of automation has made many customer conveniences and advances possible that did not exist mere decades ago. And with continued development in hardware and software, as well as new ways to integrate into new applications, robotic vision will be with us for a very long time.

How Are Robotic Vision Systems Used?

The level of complexity in a robotic vision system is scalable according to the task it needs to perform. The simplest examples are the scanners at your local grocery store, department store, or large retailer. The checkout stations that scan items’ barcodes and produce the correct prices is machine vision at its most basic. These scanners are only required to read the barcode and in some cases other outside markings as part of their imaging process. And in nearly every case, the systems are also connected to the vendor’s inventory tracking.

More complex machine vision systems exist nearly every industry. For instance, they scan the surface of raw materials to determine suitableness for use in manufacturing. Also, they’re involved in the correct placement of components in factory product assemblies. Some perform detailed exterior decoration on many items. And it’s not unusual to find them at work reading codes on exterior packaging to direct them to their correct shipping stations.

What Makes Them Work?

All robotic vision systems are comprised of two separate procedures. The first is the acquisition of an image, which is done with an exterior connected unit, such as a sophisticated digital camera, or with a piece of equipment built into the workstation. Imaging is basic, intricate, or anything in between, depending on the data that must be collected from the object. Edge detection, color identification, size measurements, surface irregularities, optical character recognition, and other data can be obtained from the image once it is captured by the system.

When is the image is reconstructed, the next step is processing the image, educing additional information, and making a decision. Each unit is pre-programmed with sets of instructions to execute based on data gathered from the image. For example, in quality checking, the system may need to determine whether an item meets quality standards based on parameters gathered from the acquired image. Another instance is measuring the size and shape of a part to ensure that it will fit correctly into a larger product during factory line assembly. Robotic vision systems have even been integrated into larger production workcells. Recently, a vision guidance component was developed to help a robot determine where to grip bags of coffee beans without ripping the package and spilling the contents, saving the client money in wasted product.

Machine vision has been in use longer than most people realize. Inclusion into simple systems used at point-of-sale units was only the beginning. Visioning applications have been built into factory line assemblies, fabrication, quality checking, product customization, shipping, and inventory control. Potential for growth and technological advancement promises to produce better, more state-of-the-art systems with more intelligence and sophistication. With robotic vision, the future is now.

Conce syst has been writing for 10+ years. He first delved into the world of writing when he wrote his first article for his university's paper.