How does computer vision help robots identify objects and inspect products?

Computer vision is a field of artificial intelligence that enables robots to "see" by identifying objects within digitized images captured by cameras.1

To identify objects and inspect products, robots utilize several sophisticated techniques:

• Pattern Recognition: Robots are trained using large datasets of images, allowing them to identify specific features and patterns that they can then apply to new, unseen images.1
• Advanced Algorithms: Modern systems use algorithms to model images or spaces using geometric shapes. By statistically weighing large quantities of sensor measurements, computers can filter out confusing readings caused by poor lighting, reflections, or blockages.2
• Machine Learning: Robots employ machine learning to classify sensor inputs into specific objects or situations. This includes the use of neural networks, which can be fine-tuned to recognize objects or translate visual states directly into desired behaviors.12

While early robotics relied on tedious geometric formulas to define object boundaries, contemporary systems use these learning-based approaches to perform more reliably in complex, real-world environments.2