Allied Vision Customers Showcase Their Applications at VISION 2014
Technology for users – With that motto in mind, Allied Vision asked its customers to present their image-processing applications in its booth to provide real-life examples in scientific research, industrial inspection and traffic monitoring.
Technology meets users at the Allied Vision booth at VISION 2014 in Stuttgart. The leading camera manufacturer does not only showcase its latest products and innovations, it also demonstrates with concrete examples how they help people from various industries see the bigger picture to be more successful.
Visitors of the show will gain insight into fascinating vision applications at five demo islands. This year, infrared imaging plays an important part due to the introduction of the company's new Goldeye infrared camera.
Aerial imaging for scientific research
The eye-catcher of this year's booth is a gyrocopter suspended above the Allied Vision booth. This lightweight aircraft looks like a mini-helicopter and is used by the Fraunhofer FHR institute along with the University of Koblenz, Germany to perform multispectral aerial imaging for environmental research. Two digital cameras from Allied Vision are fitted on the aircraft: a Mako G-419B monochrome camera for the visible spectrum and a Pearleye P-030 thermal imaging camera for the long-wave infrared spectrum.
Thanks to this combination of visible and infrared images, scientists can gain valuable information about the growth of plants and ecosystems – for example for environmental research, agriculture or forestry. The technology can also be used to control large infrastructures such as pipelines or high-voltage power lines.
Infrared camera analyzes drying process of plants
Biology and agronomy scientists research crop plants such as cereals and breed them to achieve the best possible crop with minimal resources. At VISION 2014, LemnaTec of Germany will present an imaging system used by scientists to evaluate the water absorption and drying process of plants.
In order to achieve this, LemnaTec relies on a Goldeye G-032 camera from Allied Vision. The Goldeye is a SWIR camera (Short-Wave Infrared) sensitive between 900 and 1,700 nm. Water absorbs short-wave infrared radiation and appears as dark spots in an infrared image. The LemnaTec software analizes the image data to determine how much water the plant absorbs and where it is located from the roots to the leaves.
Infrared imaging unmasks criminals
Biometric face analysis is increasingly used to identify people – for example at security controls in airports. Image-processing software is used to compare the biometric pattern of a face with those of a reference, which could be an ID photo or a police search image. However, such systems are not 100% reliable because they merely compare an image with another. If the subject wears a mask or simply holds a portrait of another person in front of the camera, the biometric software will easily be fooled.
Scientists of the University of Applied Science of Bonn-Rhein-Sieg (Germany) have developed an image-processing system to reliably identify human skin in an image. That way, biometric applications can ensure the face being analyzed is genuine. It is possible to identify human skin in the short-wave infrared spectrum. In this range of wavelengths (900 - 1,700 nm), human tissue can be clearly differentiated from latex, plastics, fabrics or any other material, regardless of skin color. The scientist selected an Allied Vision Goldeye SWIR camera to capture the infrared images. Visitors of the Allied Vision booth can experience the system themselves by putting it to a test wearing masks.
Intuitive 3D measurement spots the smallest dents
Another eye-catcher in the Allied Vision booth is the demonstration of a portable 3D measurement system by 8Tree. This compact device is approximately as big as a projector and stands on a pedestal. It can be easily moved and powered solely by battery. The system relies on structured light to perform a 3D scan of an object: a special grid pattern is projected on the surface and its distortion is captured by a camera. By analyzing the distortion, the software generates a 3D model of the object.
The system (projector, camera, computer, etc.) is completely integrated into one housing. The camera inside is a Manta G-031B from Allied Vision. The particularity of 8Tree's technology is that the results of the measurement are projected directly on the surface of the object itself. That way, for example, a bump in a car body will be highlighted with color and its dimensions, depth, etc. projected next to it. This makes the system extremely user-friendly and intuitive. One typical application example is the inspection of rivets in the aeronautics industry. For safety reasons, every single fastener of an aircraft body must be controlled during the manufacturing process. Using 8Tree's FastCHECK system, operators can scan a full line of rivets and check them all within seconds. Non-conformed fasteners will be immediately highlighted with a color code projected on them.
3D imaging for traffic law enforcement
Allied Vision cameras are used in a wide array of applications in the ITS sector (Intelligent Transportation Systems). At VISION, Kria, a long-term customer and partner of Allied Vision based in Italy, will showcase various applications using Allied Vision cameras, including speed enforcement, red light enforcement, tailgating, etc.
A highlight of this island is the latest generation of Kria's T-EXSPEED system. T-EXSPEED is an innovative solution for speed enforcement. It relies on image-processing only and does not require radar, laser or any other measurement technology. The stereoscopic system monitors the road with two Prosilica GT cameras. Using a series of images, the software can determine which distance the vehicle covered in the time interval between two images and calculate its exact speed.
The right camera solution for each application
With these various application demos, visitors of the VISION show can experience how Allied Vision collaborates with its customers to find the right imaging solution for their specific needs.
Combining a Mako and a Pearleye helped Fraunhofer FHR geo-locate their thermal images more accurately.
With the Goldeye SWIR camera, the team at Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University can reliably differentiate human skin from clothes, masks or any other object in the image.
Using Goldeye SWIR cameras, LemnaTec's engineers can precisely measure the water concentration in plants.
Thanks to the Manta G-031's high frame rate, 8Tree's 3D scanner can capture and process up to 125 images per second and provide results within seconds.
With the Prosilica GT, Kria can rely on high-resolution cameras to monitor several lanes at a time and reliably scan license plates. In addition, thanks to its extended temperature range, the Prosilica GT will withstand the cold of the winter and the heat of the summer.
