Over the many years I worked for Hasselblad and Phase One, I mainly specialized in aerial, drones and a lesser-known segment called machine vision. Since AI has become more and more integrated into our society, I thought it’d be the perfect time to discuss the rapidly growing repertoire of uses for machine vision cameras when combined with AI.

Phase One iXM 150mp F MV Camera

First let’s address how machine vision camera differ from what we know as professional photographic cameras. Good examples are the Phase One iXM 150mp F MV and the Sony ILX- LRI-LRI. Being industrial cameras, they usually don’t have things like batteries, viewfinders and grips etc. Their connections are totally different from professional photographic cameras and are much more versatile for industrial uses like serving as a drone payload.

The higher output cameras, like the Phase One, also use machine vision lenses specially designed to provide the highest image quality for their use case. They have a fixed focal length to reduce the moving parts in their optics and provide stable image quality. They are also telecentric to keep magnification consistent across the entire field of view. This is essential to calculate precise measurements from image data.

Linos Machine Vision Lenses

Quality Control in Manufacturing

In industries like electronics, automotive, and pharmaceuticals, machine vision cameras can assist with detecting defects by capturing high resolution images of products as they move along production lines. These images are fed to AI models trained on large data sets of product images to recognize the characteristics of a defective product. From this analysis, they can determine in real time if a product meets necessary standards or alert operators if it needs to be removed from production. This entire process is automated and performs at a speed and accuracy level unachievable by human inspectors.

Robotics and Automation

Machine vision cameras also have applications in industries such as logistics and warehousing, giving their robotic systems the ability to “see.” In large scale e-commerce fulfillment centers they can use visual data to sort, pick, and place objects such as products, boxes and pallets. In automotive manufacturing, machine vision guides robots in tasks like welding, assembly, and even painting with precise and consistent results.

Agricultural Monitoring and Sorting

A rather unexpected sector for machine vision cameras is agriculture. These systems can identify plant diseases, measure crop growth, and assess soil conditions by providing infrared and multispectral image data. In food processing, vision-based sorting systems can separate high-quality produce from defective ones using a similar process to the one mentioned in my section about manufacturing production lines.

Sony ILX- LRI-LRI – 61 Effective Megapixel

Security and Surveillance

The last application I want to mention is security and surveillance. Security cameras typically need human observation and are ineffective without close and constant attention. However, systems integrating AI and machine vision cameras now have good enough automated facial recognition to identify trespassers as well as differentiate between personnel who are and are not authorized in a restricted area. Motion detection can identify suspicious behavior like loitering, rapid movements, and entries or exits from a facility at odd hours.

In “smart cities”, they can gauge traffic flow through tactics like counting vehicles and recording their speed. This data is relayed to other systems to do things like adjust the timing of traffic lights, inform mobile navigation apps, and, over time, predict traffic patterns before they happen to allow for preplanned mitigation.

These cameras are game-changers across multiple industries, offering precision, efficiency, and endless possibilities for automation. As technology continues to advance, their capabilities will only expand, making them an integral part of the future of automation and artificial intelligence. Whether in manufacturing, robotics, agriculture, or security, machine vision is paving the way for smarter, more efficient operations worldwide.

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