Machine Vision
A machine vision system is a device capable of image capture and image analysis. The vast majority of vision systems are used for location finding, non-contact metrology (measurement) and assembly verification operations. The manufacturers of vision systems provide solutions for the market based on the processing power required. The leaders in the industrial machine vision market are those who have successfully adapted and commercialized computer technology for the task of image processing. The time required for the vision system to acquire an image and process the data can limit the throughput of a manufacturing process. Consumers of vision systems consider the value (and cost) of the vision system to be attributed to its speed, ease of use and accuracy.
High speed systems traditionally require special purpose vision hardware, but have now been replaced by high performance microprocessors and personal computers. A PC-based vision system is generally recognized as having the greatest flexibility and, therefore, capable of handling a wider range of applications. According to AIA statistics, the largest market segment for machine vision is and has always been the electronics and semiconductor market. PC systems offer extremely good platform flexibility at a good price, but suffer from bottlenecks as the result of high-speed image communication.
Pixel Velocity's image processing technology can dramatically change the processor performance playing field. Our data throughput speeds are a magnitude faster than the vast majority of competitors. We focus our efforts on providing hardware solutions to the real-time computer vision market, by offering products with integrated sensors or those that accept input from external cameras.