8 Real-World Applications of Computer Vision

Humans have eyes that can see anything and a brain that, because of its abstract knowledge of ideas through interactions and personal experiences, can make sense of much of what they see. Before the introduction of computer vision, computers lacked this capability.

 

Computer vision is a subfield of study under Artificial Intelligence that trains the machine to understand the concept of the visual world. With the help of machine learning and deep learning models, computers are taught to observe an image, identify objects, classify them, and react accurately. 

 

In this article, we are going to find out a few of the numerous applications of computer vision in different fields.

 

How does Computer Vision work?

 

As we have said before, computer vision allows computers to “see” things and understand them, that is to derive meaningful information from them. Computer vision-enabled devices may evaluate visual data and make judgments based on it or comprehend their surroundings and situations.

 

Using cameras, data, and algorithms rather than retinas, optic nerves, and a visual brain, computer vision teaches computers to carry out these tasks in considerably less time. A system trained to check items or monitor a production asset can swiftly outperform humans since it can examine hundreds of products or processes per minute while spotting undetectable flaws or problems.

 

For that, it needs a lot of data. It repeatedly executes analyses of the data until it can distinguish between things and identify images. The more training data is provided to the computer, the better the result is. To feed data to the computer, two types of technologies are required, deep learning and convoluted neural networks (CNN).

 

To educate a computer on how to "see" and understand the context of visual input, machine learning employs algorithmic models. The computer can learn to distinguish between different images if enough data is sent through the model.

 

By dissecting pictures into pixels with labels or tags, a CNN aids a machine learning or deep learning model's ability to "see." It creates predictions about what it is "seeing" by performing convolutions on the labels, which is a mathematical operation on two functions to create a third function.

 

Similar to how a person would perceive a picture from a distance, a CNN first recognizes sharp contours and basic forms before adding details as it iteratively tests its predictions. To comprehend individual pictures, a CNN is employed. In a manner similar to this, recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are employed in video applications to assist computers in comprehending the relationships between the images in a sequence of frames.

 

Applications of Computer Vision:

 

1. Healthcare:

 

Computer vision has brought a massive evolution in the healthcare industry. One of the most comprehensive sources of information in medical imaging data. It prevents doctors from having to spend hours manually reviewing patient data and doing office duties.

 

Some of the most popular computer vision applications in healthcare include:

 

• MRI Scanning:

 

Computers can now analyze MRI and CT data. Computer vision is the key to enhancing patient outcomes, from developing AI systems to evaluate radiological pictures with the same levels of accuracy as human doctors to deep learning algorithms that boost MRI image resolution. It significantly contributes to speeding up illness detection.

 

Doctors can identify tumors, internal bleeding, blocked blood arteries, and other life-threatening illnesses by using computer vision to analyze CT and MRI data. Because robots can now recognize nuances that are unseen to the human sight, automation of the process has been demonstrated to boost accuracy.

 

• X-Ray analysis:

 

Computer vision can automate the procedure, enhancing both efficiency and accuracy, even though the majority of clinicians still use manual X-ray picture processing to diagnose and treat illnesses. Modern image recognition algorithms are able to identify patterns in X-ray pictures that are too faint for the human eye to see.

 

• Cancer detection:

 

By comparing carcinogenic and non-cancerous cells in photographs, image recognition enables medical professionals to spot abnormalities and alterations. Using information from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, automated detection enables a quicker cancer diagnosis. Breast and skin cancer screening using computer vision has previously been effective.

 

• Blood Loss measurement:

 

One of the leading causes of infant death is postpartum hemorrhaging. In the past, doctors had to make an educated estimate as to how much blood a patient had lost during delivery. By analyzing photos of surgery sponges and suction canisters using an AI-powered tool, surgeons can now monitor blood loss during delivery. Thus, a more precise blood loss assessment that aids medical practitioners in providing patients with better care is now possible thanks to computer vision.

 

• Movement Analysis:

 

Pose estimation has been employed to evaluate patient motion and aid medical professionals identify neurological and musculoskeletal disorders. This computer vision technology has also been used for Medical Infant Motion Analysis, despite the fact that the great majority of methods for estimating human posture concentrate on adults.

 

Doctors can identify neurodevelopmental abnormalities early on and take the necessary precautions by observing and analyzing an infant's spontaneous movements. Infant body motions may be captured and irregularities can be detected considerably more quickly with an automated motion analysis system.

 

2. Transportation:

 

Due to its application to intelligent transportation systems, CV has a considerable impact on the automobile sector (ITS). Systems for detecting pedestrians and self-driving cars both rely on CV. Using CV, cars may gather information about their surroundings, analyze it, and react appropriately.

 

• Self driving cars:

 

Autonomous cars are already a reality thanks in large part to computer vision, which is used to recognize and categorize things (such traffic signals or road signs), build 3D maps, or estimate motion. Self-driving cars use sensors and cameras to gather information about their environment, analyze it, and react appropriately.

 

• Obstruction detection:

 

Self driving cars can detect any pedestrian or object that comes in front of the car. Using cameras, it leverages differences in body posture, clothing, occlusion, lighting conditions, and background clutter to automatically identify and locate pedestrians in photos or videos. Applications for pedestrian detection may be found in areas including traffic control, autonomous driving, and efficient transit.

 

• Traffic flow analysis:

 

The advancements in computer vision have also made it possible to estimate and follow traffic flow using drones and cameras. Now that the algorithms can precisely monitor and count highway traffic as well as monitor and evaluate the density of traffic in urban areas (for example, at junctions), they can also help to build better traffic management systems and increase road safety.

 

3. Face detection:

 

Our phones can detect our faces and unlock them using facial recognition. Even big offices and important places have faces of their employees installed in their security system where employees can only enter the office premises if their face is recognized by the computer. This helps a lot in maintaining the security of the organization and avoiding any trespasser.

 

This is done with the help of computer vision. In fact, it is one of the more difficult applications of computer vision. 

 

This feature of face detection is also used by cameras where it can recognize the face of the person in the picture and focus on it, making sure it is not out of focus or blurred. Facebook also uses facial recognition to help people tag others while posting photos. 

 

4. Screen Reading:

 

It is occasionally impossible to extract data from a display screen, either because the system is a closed provider or because it is incompatible with the one that is already in place. Installing a computer vision camera to read the screen and retrieve the data shown on it is one approach to solving this issue. In order to do this, we search for the information-containing interest areas and extract it using a character recognition method (OCR).

 

To train a computer vision recognition system, we return to the character recognition algorithms, so even if you have complicated typography, OCR will be able to read it. This technology is so powerful that it can read handwritten letters.

 

Also Read | OpenCV: Applications & Functions

 

5. Manufacturing industry:

 

A variety of automation technologies with computer vision at their core have already been used by the manufacturing sector. Automation of quality control reduces safety hazards, boosts productivity, and increases effectiveness. Here are some of the applications in the manufacturing industry:

 

• Defect detection:

 

Perhaps defect detection is the most typical use of computer vision. Up to this point, defect identification has been done by qualified personnel in specific batches, and complete production control is typically not feasible. With computer vision, we can identify flaws in sizes smaller than 0.05mm, including metal fissures, paint flaws, incorrect printing, etc.

 

These vision cameras require an algorithm that functions as the "intelligent brain" and can distinguish between defects and non-defects. Through photos of defects and defects-free images, this algorithm is created and taught particularly for each individual application.

 

• Barcode reading:

 

OCR, a computer vision technology, may be effectively used to automatically identify, validate, convert, and translate barcodes into legible text because the majority of items have barcodes on their packaging. Labels or boxes that have been photographed can have their text retrieved and cross-referenced with databases using OCR.

 

This process aids in the detection of items with incorrect labels, the provision of expiry date information, the publication of product amount information, and the tracking of packages throughout the whole product creation process.

 

6. Agriculture:

 

Many agricultural businesses employ computer vision to keep an eye on harvests and deal with challenges like fertilizer deficiency and weed development. In order to identify issues early on and prevent unwarranted financial losses, computer vision systems examine images from satellites, drones, and aircraft.

 

Also Read | 7 Advantages of AI in Agriculture

 

7. Machine Vision:

 

Businesses have employed machine vision in a variety of ways, mostly to improve operations and quality. Machine vision systems require a number of different components, including sensors, cameras, and lights, to function successfully. Fluorescents, LEDs, quartz halogen, and metal halide, for instance, are typical illumination options for machine vision systems (mercury).

 

For quality control, machine vision systems are frequently employed. For instance, harvesting machinery in agriculture uses it to locate grapes on a vine so that it may pluck bunches of grapes without harming them.

 

8. Construction:

 

With predictive maintenance, maintaining equipment in good working order, and minimizing downtime during significant building projects, CV can help construction businesses and their staff.

 

When there are issues with the equipment, CV may notify the staff so they can fix them before it's too late. Furthermore, CV can offer PPE detection to guarantee worker safety, something the sector strives arduously to attain.

 

• Predictive maintenance:

 

Equipment deformation brought on by material deterioration and corrosion is frequent in the production environment. This technique has the potential to disrupt production lines and jeopardize "workers' safety" if improperly managed. In order to identify maintenance issues and take proactive steps to fix them before it's too late, machinery and equipment are monitored with the use of computer vision.

 

Cameras in computer vision-powered devices analyze incoming data from machines to spot flaws and other changes. They transmit a signal to the system when they see a problem, which enables human operators to take remedial action before an asset is harmed or an accident happens.

 

• PPE detection:

 

Given that the training data is sufficient and representative, deep learning has made it possible to recognize protective equipment in a variety of settings. Therefore, using computer vision to provide appropriate security and safety measures is successful. In the event of accidents, AI-assisted systems aid in promptly identifying and gauging the severity of a certain occurrence and responding instantly by taking the necessary actions.

 

Conclusion:

 

Many industries use computer vision to enhance consumer satisfaction while cutting costs and boosting security. This technology is unique from others in that it approaches data in a certain way. We discuss all of computer vision's uses in this article.