2018 Innovators Awards: Silver-level honorees

2018 Innovators Awards: Silver-level honorees

Silver-level award honorees of our 2018 Innovators Awards Program are as follows (categories in parentheses):

• SUALAB: SuaKIT (Software). SuaKIT is deep-learning based machine vision software library. Based on image analysis technology, SuaKIT can be implemented in various manufacturing fields for which it has been traditionally difficult to conduct inspection with existing machine-vision technologies, thanks to its significantly superior accuracy and speed of inspection, according to SUALAB.
• Radiant Vision Systems: AR/VR Lens (Lighting, lenses, and optics). The Radiant Vision Systems AR/VR lens has a unique optical design specially engineered for measuring near-eye displays (NEDs), such as those integrated into virtual (VR), mixed (MR), and augmented reality (AR) headsets.
• Teledyne e2v: Octoplus Camera - Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for Ophthalmology/Industrial (Cameras-specialty). OctoPlus line scan cameras for optical coherence tomography are available in both Camera Link and USB 3.0 models and are based on a monochrome 2048-pixel CMOS line scan image sensor with two options for pixel sizes: 10 x 20µm and 10 x 200µm.
• ProPhotonix: COBRA Multispec (Lighting, lenses, and optics). Available in wavelengths from 365 – 1500nm and in configurations from two to twelve wavelengths in a compact form factor, COBRA MultiSpec has been designed to deliver multispectral tunable illumination allowing you to optimize your image acquisition. With discrete control of up to twelve wavelengths you can maximize contrast by choosing the optimum colors and provide more intensity in specific wavelengths to suit your application needs. UV, Visible & IR wavelengths are available along with a wide range of optical options to ensure the optimum illumination for your application.
• Smart Vision Lights: LLM Multiple Quadrant “Photometric Stereo” Lighting Manager (Lighting, lenses, and optics). To address the lighting requirements of photometric imaging systems, Smart Vision Lights introduced the LLM light manager/light controller. By varying the successive illumination of four light sources using the LLM Multiple Quadrant “Photometric Stereo” Lighting Manager, successive images taken by a single camera can be used to determine the surface orientation at each image point across the object’s surface. By using lights of different wavelengths, the LLM also enables multispectral imaging through new classes of time delay integration multi-channel cameras, such as the Teledyne DALSA Linear TL.
• Mikrotron: EoSens 3FIBER (Cameras-specialty). Mikrotron with the design of the new Mikrotron EoSens 3FIBER camera finally makes fiber technology available to high-speed machine vision applications. This fanless high-speed camera achieves 3 MPixel resolution at 566 fps and up to 1200 fps at 1280 x 1024 pixel resolution, combining high performance with fiber technology. It has an integrated MTP/MPO fiber interface and a max. data rate of up to 5 GByte/s which allows customers to directly transfer data rates up to 40 Gbit/s with a thin (2-4mm diameter), cheap and standard fiber cable.
• Tattile: S12MP (Embedded vision). Featuring a 12MPixel CMV12000 CMOS sensor, the Tattile S12MP Smart Camera features a powerful image processing architecture, including the Xilinx Zynq 7030 with a Kintex7 FPGA featuring 125 K elements, which enables the S12MP to acquire and pre-process images at speeds up to 300 fps at full resolution. A Cortex-A9 Dual Core 667MHz processes the data, performs the controls required by the application, and sends results either to the machine or to the user line, making the S12MP the ideal "all-in-one" start camera, according to the company.
• TPL Vision: EBAR Curve (Lighting, lenses, and optics). Creating a homogeneous lighting effect across the field of view and eliminating bright spots in the middle of images is the EBAR CURVE from TPL Vision. Users can adjust the brightness of the light manually to fit an application and lock the setting into place. The new LED light is IP65 rated and, according to the company, reduces the lead time to project completion. One of the main highlights of the new product, according to the company, is the fact that the machine vision bar light will illuminate the entire surface of the field of view, thus enabling users to get a bar light with the same dimensions as of the FOV.
• Edmund Optics: Cr Series Stability Ruggedized Lenses (Lighting, lenses, and optics). Edmund Optics Stability Ruggedized Lenses (Cr lenses) are designed to reduce and eliminate issues associated with point accuracy, shocks occurring during transport and installation, and vibrations over time of their use. The Cr lens line is optically identical to Edmund Optics standard high performing optical designs, but they have been adapted to handle more grueling applications. Available in 6, 8.5, 12, 16, 25, 35, and 50 mm focal lengths, the lenses feature robust mechanics and a stainless-steel locking C-Mount clamp.
• FUJIFILM North American Corporation: 4D High Resolution Technology (Lighting, lenses, and optics). FUJINON lenses’ unique “4D High Resolution” performance maintains a high level of consistent image sharpness at the center as well as around the edges, while mitigating resolution degradation that typically occurs when changing a working distance or aperture value, according to the company. This enables the consistent delivery of high-resolution images under a wide variety of installation and shooting conditions.
• IT+Robotics: EyeT+ (Vision systems). EyeT+ is a 3D vision device based on dual-laser triangulation technology for automated random bin-picking applications. The system's main innovations are in the design of the system itself and how it exploits laser triangulation technology, according to the company. EyeT+ is based on two single line laser projectors, which is more robust against occlusions than systems with one projector (and twice as fast).
• NET New Electronic Technology: GigE Vision camera GigEPRO featuring. FPGA-based HDR Mode (Cameras-specialty). NET´s GigE Vision camera, GigEPRO, features an innovative high dynamic range functionality without any lowering of the initial image transfer speed. This is achieved through processing of two images on the camera-embedded FPGA. The extended dynamic range at no loss of speed improves applications considerably and is not achievable with PC-based approaches, according to NET.
• Curtiss-Wright: High-speed camera – nHSC-31-S (Cameras-specialty). The nHSC-36-S is a miniature camera designed to capture high-speed imagery and record data in the harsh environmental conditions. It is ideal for use in demanding applications such as aerospace, store separation and military automotive crash testing. The nHSC-36-S1-1 camera supports the imaging of high speed events at up to 500 fps at full resolution (1280 x 1024).
• ISVI Corp.: IC-M50T-CXP (Cameras-visible). Although thermoelectric cooling is not a new technology, the ISVI IC-M50T-CXP, according to the company, is the first camera to combine a unique set of features such as high-resolution, a high frame rate, global shutter CMOS, fast camera interface, compact size and a TEC system to maintain sensor temperature for long exposures and reduced thermal noise.
• Cognex Corporation: In-Sight Laser Profiler (Cameras-3D). The In-Sight laser profiler is a measurement system used to verify that a part's dimensions meet specifications. The In-Sight laser profiler is configured using the In-Sight EasyBuilder user interface. This intuitive, easy-to-use software makes it simple for manufacturing and quality engineers to develop, deploy, and support high accuracy measurements on the factory floor, according to Cognex.
• Metaphase Lighting Technologies: SWIR LED Illumination for Area & Line Scan Imaging (Lighting, lenses, and optics). Metaphase Technologies partnered with LED manufacturers to bring the first high-power SWIR LEDs to market, manufactured from a material called InGaAs. SWIR LEDs and lights were previously used in machine vision, however, they were limited to 5 or 50mW LEDs. High-power SWIR LED illuminators can be more than 14 times as powerful, creating exciting new possibilities of SWIR integration into machine vision applications, especially when paired with InGaAs infrared cameras, according to Metaphase Technologies.
• Gardasoft Vision: S106 (Lighting, lenses, and optics). The Gardasoft S106 is a multi-channel ultra-low current LED controller with Ethernet interface that is reportedly the first lighting controller to produce a stable, adjustable current drive from a maximum of 90 mA all the way down to just 7 µA. The controller, according to Gardasoft, also provides accurate ultra-low light control in continuous or pulse modes. It offers 16 independent constant-current output channels which each have two current ranges that are software-configurable.
• Algolux: CRISP-ML (Research and development/start-up category). Algolux CRISP-ML uses novel machine learning methods to automatically optimize your full imaging and vision system for image quality. CRISP-ML can effectively combine large real-world CV training data sets with standards-based metrics and chart-driven Key Performance Indicators to holistically improve the performance of your vision systems; this can be done across combinations of components and operating conditions previously deemed as unfeasible, according to the company.

Next page: Gold-level honorees

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