Machine vision solution harnesses power of AI

“The adoption of AI is increasing in both personal and industrial settings, and machine vision is no exception,” SICK head of vision business development for Europe South West, Nathaniel Hofmann, explains. “There are significant benefits to be gained from pushing technology forward, and AI is playing a growing role. At SICK, we have used the power of AI to drive improvements in machine vision, and I am proud to introduce the Visionary AI-Assist.”

The AI element of the Visionary AI-Assist has been trained using relevant, real-world, industry-captured vision data to ensure results are repeatable, robust and tailored to the mobile machinery market. By understanding customers and their applications, and what they are trying to achieve, SICK balances ease-of-use, speed, performance, ruggedness and reliability in a portfolio of machine vision products that are designed to suit a wide range of needs.

The Visionary AI-Assist is suited to a range of applications and environments, with high shock and vibration resistance, IP67 and IP69K protection, a wide temperature range (-40 C to 55 C), and a voltage range from 10 V to 57 V DC. Providing 2D camera live view, it is retrofit-ready with Digital I/Os, and features Ethernet integration via REST API and CAN based on J1939.

According to Hofmann, the company’s machine vision solutions enhance industrial operations in a multitude of ways. “SICK is so much more than safety and sensors, and machine vision is so much more than ‘clever’ cameras," he says. "As a brand leader for safety and sensor solutions, we want to achieve the same for vision systems. SICK is a trusted long-term partner for our customers, listening to their needs, innovating to develop the products and solutions that solve their challenges, and providing the expertise and support to make their business succesful. We are expanding our already comprehensive 2D, 3D and robot guidance portfolio, and the Visionary AI-Assist is part of the next generation of machine vision.”

Ease of use is increasingly important when it comes to machine vision and a key driver behind adoption.  SICK has developed its own free, user-friendly software to provide a range of cameras and solutions that all work on the same platform. NOVA is the scalable foundation software for SICK’s configurable 2D, 3D and AI machine vision solutions. It has an easy-to-use web interface and AI capabilities to support both experts and non-experts in quickly installing and configuring applications, leveraging a range of different imaging technologies, and extending the functionality of devices with SICK NOVA plug-ins.

SICK is also committed to exceeding industry standards. The company is represented on the boards of both machine vision association UKIVA and robotics association BARA, in addition to a wide array of industry organisations across Europe, the US and Asia. The Visionary AI-Assist is an excellent example of SICK’s experience in developing advanced 2D and 3D cameras and camera systems, and its dedication to protection of people and assets.

Hofmann adds: “SICK’s machine vision products provide tailored solutions for common problems. But we not only offer solutions, we want to be that trusted partner on your automation journey by providing the advice and support you need alongside excellent performance in vision and robotics.”

www.sick.com