Image processing in imaging and machine vision involves the manipulation and analysis of digital images to extract useful information or enhance their visual quality. It uses a wide range of techniques aimed at improving image clarity, understanding, and interpretation.
In imaging, image processing is often used in tasks such as noise reduction, image enhancement, and image restoration, where it helps to correct distortions introduced during image acquisition and improves the overall quality of the image for better human perception or automated analysis.
In machine vision, image processing is used for automated inspection, object recognition, and classification tasks. Algorithms are employed to detect patterns, shapes, and objects within images, enabling machines to make decisions based on visual input. This is ideally placed for applications such as industrial automation, robotics, and quality control processes where rapid and accurate visual analysis is required.
Key techniques in image processing include filtering, edge detection, segmentation, feature extraction, and pattern recognition. These are applied through various algorithms and methodologies tailored to specific applications, allowing for diverse functionalities ranging from medical diagnostics to autonomous driving systems.
A variety of components and tools are used for image processing. Lenses help to focus light onto the imaging sensor, while cameras, including digital, CCD, CMOS, line scan, and high-speed cameras, are fundamental for image capture. Optical filters are used to selectively transmit or block wavelengths, for tasks such as reflection removal and enhancing contrast. Illumination is vital for clear imaging, while prisms and mirrors can redirect and manipulate light paths for tasks such as image rotation and beam splitting. Optical coatings on lenses and filters can be used to minimise reflections and improve transmission efficiency, and beam splitters are used to divide light beams for stereo imaging and fluorescence microscopy.
Products for image processing on the market now
Commercial vendors of products for image processing include Avantier, which offers imaging and optical systems solutions. The company can provide customised optical design and engineering services, optical lens assembly, prototyping, image processing, and manufacturing services.
Cognex specialises in machine vision systems and software for image and machine vision processing, including inspection, defect detection, barcode reading, and pattern recognition in industrial automation.
Edmund Optics supplies lenses, filters, and optical components for use in a multitude of industries and use cases, including image processing applications such as optical inspection, microscopy, and pattern recognition systems.
Emergent Vision Technologies provides GigE Vision cameras for machine vision, sports technology, volumetric capture and the metaverse, and virtual reality imaging applications. Most recently the company expanded its eCapture Pro software to include two new intuitive image processing tools: FlexProc and FlexTrans.
Euresys is a provider of machine vision and image processing components, including frame grabbers, cameras, and software solutions for industrial automation, quality control, and inspection applications. The company’s image processing software tools are often integrated into its machine vision systems, offering capabilities such as image acquisition, processing, analysis, and visualisation, allowing users to perform tasks such as image enhancement, feature extraction, object detection, pattern recognition, and measurement within their machine vision applications.
Flir offers thermal imaging cameras with advanced image processing capabilities for temperature measurement, security, surveillance, and industrial inspection tasks. The company’s Vision Processing solution is designed to create the highest quality thermal images by using proprietary adaptive filtering algorithms, a multi-level filtering process that can reduce the noise of the images to increase quality.
IDS provides industrial cameras and software tools specifically tailored for machine vision, robotics, and automation applications. The company’s latest launch for image processing, the IDS NXT malibu enables AI-based image processing, video compression and 4K streaming.
JAI manufactures industrial cameras with integrated image processing capabilities for tasks such as image enhancement, feature extraction, and colour analysis in machine vision systems.
Keyence offers vision systems and software for image processing, including measurement, inspection, code reading, and defect detection in manufacturing environments.
Matrox Imaging provides vision processors, frame grabbers, and software tools with powerful image processing capabilities for machine vision, factory automation, and medical imaging applications.
Sony manufactures CMOS image sensors and cameras with image processing features for industrial and consumer imaging applications, including digital cameras and medical imaging devices.
Stemmer Imaging offers imaging and machine vision solutions with software tools for image processing, analysis, and automation tasks in industrial inspection and quality control.
Available from Teledyne Dalsa are advanced imaging solutions, including cameras and vision processors with image processing capabilities for industrial inspection, semiconductor inspection, and medical imaging tasks.
Thorlabs offers optical components and imaging systems that are used in image processing applications such as microscopy, spectroscopy, and laser imaging.
This is not an exhaustive list. If you provide colour imaging products and would like your company to be included, please email editor.imaging@europascience.com.
IDS Imaging Development Systems: Featured image processing product
Intelligent industrial camera with 4K streaming: New in the product line for intelligent image processing: IDS NXT malibu enables AI-based image processing, video compression and 4K streaming. The camera is able to independently perform AI-based image analyses and provide the results as a live overlay in compressed video streams via RTSP (Real Time Streaming Protocol).
Hidden inside is a special SoC (system-on-a-chip) from Ambarella, which is familiar from action cameras. An ISP with helpful automatic features such as brightness, noise and colour correction ensures that optimum image quality is achieved at all times.
The camera is equipped with the exceptional IMX678 sensor from Sony's Starvis 2 series. It ensures impressive image quality even in low light and twilight conditions. The new 8 MP camera complements the recently introduced camera variant with the 5 MP onsemi sensor AR0521. The AI-based vision system IDS NXT is designed to be operated by any user group - even without detailed knowledge of machine learning, image processing or programming.
Find out more about the IDS NXT malibu by visiting the company’s website
