Machine vision, a combination of hardware and software that work together to help machines “see” something and then act, is prevalent in business today. With the support of artificial intelligence algorithms along with vision, machines automatically do many things only humans were able to do.

1. What Is Machine Vision
And How Is It Used
In Business Today?

2. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
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IntroductionIntroduction
One of the simplest ways to understand a machine vision system is to consider
it the “eyes” of a machine. The system uses digital input that’s captured by a
camera to determine action. Businesses use machine vision systems in a
variety of ways to improve quality, efficiency and operations.
What is Machine Vision and
How Is It Used In Business Today?

3. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How Do Machine Vision Systems Work?
Some manufacturing facilities have used machine vision systems since the 1950s, but it
was in the 1980s-1990s when things really started to expand. Regardless of an industrial
or non-industrial application, a combination of software and hardware work together to
make machine vision systems possible. Here are the typical components involved:
• Sensors
• Frame-grabber
• Cameras (digital or analogue)
• Lighting sufficient for cameras to capture quality images
• Software and computer capable of analysing images
• Algorithms that can identify patterns; important in some use cases
• Output such as a screen or mechanical components
Let’s look at how these components work together when machine vision is used to inspect
a product in a manufacturing operation, a very common example of a machine vision
system in practice.

4. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How Do Machine Vision Systems Work?
The process begins when a sensor detects the presence of a product. The sensor then
triggers a light source to illuminate the area and a camera to capture an image of the
product or a component of the product. The frame-grabber (a digitizing device) translates
the camera’s image into digital output. The digital file is saved on a computer so it can be
analysed by the system software. The software compares the file against a set of
predetermined criteria to identify defects. If a defect is identified, the product will fail
inspection.

5. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
What’s The Difference Between
Machine Vision and Computer Vision?
Computer vision and machine vision are overlapping technologies. A machine vision
system requires a computer and specific software to operate while computer vision
doesn’t need to be integrated with a machine. Computer vision can, for example, analyse
digital online images or videos as well as “images” from motion detectors, infrared sensors
or other sources, not just a photo or video. Machine vision is a sub-category of computer
vision.

6. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How Is Machine Vision Used in Business?
In addition to using machine vision for quality control purposes, it is helping businesses in
many ways today for identification, inspection, guidance and more. Here are a few
examples:
Correcting Production Line Defects: In addition to using machine vision to identify
defective products, machine vision can help determine where the problems are being
introduced in a production line so corrective action can be taken.
Farming: Machine vision is used by harvesting machines to detect the location of grapes
on the vine so that robotic harvesting machines can pick the bunches without destroying
any grapes. Machine vision is also used as part of farm machinery to monitor crops and
detect diseases on plants.
Inventory Control and Management: Machine vision is imperative in the process of
reading barcodes and labels on components and products. This has important
applications for inventory control, but also in the manufacturing process to ensure the
correct components get added as products move down an assembly line. Machine vision
is critical for the bin-picking done in warehouses by robots.

7. © 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
How Is Machine Vision Used in Business?
Product Tracking and Traceability: In heavily regulated industries such as
pharmaceuticals, it’s important to be able to track ingredients, product serial numbers and
monitor expiration dates which machine vision makes extraordinarily easier.
Measurements and Calibration: Whether measuring the gap in a spark plug to ensure it
fits specifications or identifying a gauge that needs calibrated, machine vision automates
and makes the process quite efficient.
Safety: Whether on a construction site with heavy equipment or tracking food supplies,
machine vision can improve safety with great efficiency.
As the technology continues to get more sophisticated, the use cases for machine vision
will continue to grow.

8. © 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2018 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website
© 2017 Bernard Marr , Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
© 2019 Bernard Marr, Bernard Marr & Co. All rights reserved
Bernard Marr is an internationally best-selling author, popular keynote speaker, futurist, and a
strategic business & technology advisor to governments and companies. He helps
organisations improve their business performance, use data more intelligently, and
understand the implications of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data,
blockchains, and the Internet of Things.
LinkedIn has ranked Bernard as one of the world’s top 5 business influencers. He is a frequent
contributor to the World Economic Forum and writes a regular column for Forbes. Every day
Bernard actively engages his 1.5 million social media followers and shares content that
reaches millions of readers.
Visit The
Website

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