Smart camera
A smart camera (sensor) or intelligent camera (sensor) or (smart) vision sensor or intelligent vision sensor or smart optical sensor or intelligent optical sensor or smart visual sensor or intelligent visual sensor is a machine vision system which, in addition to image capture circuitry, is capable of extracting application-specific information from the captured images, along with generating event descriptions or making decisions that are used in an intelligent and automated system.[1][2] A smart camera is a self-contained, standalone vision system with built-in image sensor in the housing of an industrial video camera. The vision system and the image sensor can be integrated into one single piece of hardware known as intelligent image sensor or smart image sensor. It contains all necessary communication interfaces, e.g. Ethernet, as well as industry-proof 24V I/O lines for connection to a PLC, actuators, relays or pneumatic valves, and can be either static or mobile.[3] It is not necessarily larger than an industrial or
History
The first publication of the term smart camera was in 1975
Smart cameras have been marketed since the mid 80s. In the 21st century they have reached widespread use, since technology allowed their size to be reduced and their processing power reached several thousand MIPS (devices with 1 GHz processors and up to 8000MIPS are available as of end of 2006).
Artificial intelligence and photonics boost each other.[10] Photonics accelerates the process of data collection for AI and AI improves the spectrum of applications of photinics. In 2020, Sony has launched the first intelligent vision sensors with AI edge computing capabilies.[11] It is a further development of Exmor technology.
Components
A smart camera usually consists of several (but not necessarily all) of the following components:
- Image sensor (matrix or linear, CCD- or CMOS)
- Image digitizationcircuitry
- Image memory
- processor (often a DSP or suitably powerful processor)
- program- and data memory (RAM, nonvolatile FLASH)
- Communication interface (RS-232, Ethernet)
- I/O lines (often opto-isolated)
- Lens holder or built in lens (usually C, CS or M-mount)
- Built in illumination device (usually LED)
- Purpose developed real-time operating system (For example VCRT)
- Optional video output (e.g. SVGA)
- Energy supply by e.g. energy harvesting
Fields of application
Having a dedicated processor in each unit, smart cameras are especially suited for applications where several cameras must operate independently and often asynchronously, or when distributed vision is required (multiple inspection or surveillance points along a production line or within an assembly machine). In general smart cameras can be used for the same kind of applications where more complex vision systems are used, and can additionally be applied in some applications where volume, pricing or reliability constraints forbid use of bulkier devices and PC's.
Typical fields of application are:
- automated inspection for quality assurance(detection of defects, flaws, missing parts...)
- non contact measurements.
- part sorting and identification.
- code reading and verification (barcode, Data Matrix, alphanumeric etc.)
- web inspection (inspection of continuously flowing materials such as coils, tubes, wires, extruded plastic) for defect detection and dimensional gauging.
- detection of position and rotation of parts for robot guidance and automated picking
- unattended surveillance (detection of intruders, fire or smoke detection)
- irisrecognition)
- visual sensor networks and smartdust
- robot guidance
- nearly any machine vision application
Developers can purchase smart cameras and develop their own programs for special, custom made applications, or they can purchase ready made application software from the camera manufacturer or from third party sources. Custom programs can be developed by programming in various languages (typically
See also
- Camera trap
- Digital camera
- Event camera
- INDECT
- Mobile phone accessories
- Smartdust
- Vision processing unit
- Videograph
- Smart Home
- IoT
References
- ISBN 978-1-4419-0952-7.
- ISBN 3-527-40584-4.
- ^
Rinner, Bernhard; Wolf, Wayne (2018-10-17). "An Introduction to Distributed Smart Cameras". Proceedings of the IEEE. 96 (10): 1565–1575. S2CID 22637359. Retrieved 2021-09-13.
- S2CID 2095590. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ^ SCHNEIDERMAN, R; R, SCHNEIDERMAN (1975). "SMART CAMERAS CLICKING WITH ELECTRONIC FUNCTIONS". Electronics. 48 (17): 74–81. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ISBN 978-1-4419-0954-1. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ General Electric (1976). "SOLID STATE TELEVISION CAMERA (CID)" (PDF). NATIONAL TECHNICAL INFORMATION SERVICE. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- S2CID 110882955. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- ^ "POST LANDSAT D ADVANCED CONCEPT EVALUATION" (PDF). core.ac.uk/. NASA. 1977. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
- S2CID 225783016.
- ^ Lorbeer/pi, Klaus (14 May 2020). "Sony launcht weltweit erste Intelligent-Vision-Sensoren mit KI-Verarbeitung". computerwelt.at (in German). Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2021.