Computer Vision is a field of Artificial Intelligence (AI) that is reaching maturity and already having a transformative impact on many industries. Through it, the aim is to mimic the capabilities of the human brain responsible for object recognition and classification. This technology allows computers and systems to extract meaningful information from digital images, videos, and other visual inputs, and to take actions or make recommendations based on that information. It utilizes machine learning (ML), neural networks, and image processing techniques.
Computer vision works by analyzing data from cameras and using specialized algorithms to identify patterns and objects, which are trained with large amounts of sample images. This enables machines to understand and interpret visual information from the environment.
Due to its ability to advance visual automation, this technology presents enormous potential for process optimization. Among other things, it is used to teach computers to detect defects and issues before they affect operations.
Use Cases
In the energy and utilities sector, this artificial vision drives more efficient operations, improves safety, and helps prevent accidents. For example, it enables the analysis of images of electric poles and performs preventive maintenance. It also allows for the inspection of pipes or wind turbines, contributing to the increased safety of employees by avoiding exposure to dangerous environments.
In the healthcare field, it is applied to review and process images, assisting in obtaining accurate diagnoses and preventing diseases. For instance, there has been a growth in skin cancer cases (melanomas) in recent years. In these cases, computer vision can help detect the disease early. Therefore, this technology could be brought closer to primary health care facilities to prevent the issue among vulnerable populations who generally lack access to regular check-ups.
What’s Next
In the automotive industry, progress is being made in the development of autonomous vehicles that use computer vision to recognize objects on roads and streets, detect lane lines, and create 3D maps, among other things. In this industry, the technology can also be applied to recognize faults in products and ensure that the assembly process meets quality standards.
Computer vision allows visually identifying items of different types. Therefore, it is already being applied to contactless and self-checkout in retail, enabling instant product scanning and single transactions. In retail, it can also be leveraged to create heat maps and analyze customer traffic in stores, enhancing sales strategies.
Although this technology is not new, it is advancing at a spectacular pace lately, thanks to the injection of new possibilities provided by advances in ML. A study estimates that in less than a decade, its accuracy has increased from 50% to 99%.
The consulting firm Statista forecasts that the global computer vision market size will exceed $26 billion in 2024. It expects it to grow at a compound annual growth rate of nearly 12% between this year and 2030.
By harnessing the power to analyze images and detect objects and defects, companies can already improve operations and make better-informed decisions. To fully leverage the power of this emerging technology, organizations can rely on a technology partner like Innova Developers, which is helping them apply it to their specific use cases with very concrete results.