Smart, small and flexible—smart cameras combine a standard machine vision camera, programmable processing, communications and sometimes lighting, in a small enclosure. The advantages of this kind of “all in one” vision system include easier integration, lower cost, and the ability to satisfy a wide range of application needs. Smart cameras can find surface defects, guide robots, verify assemblies and operate in harsh industrial environments.
This article reviews what to look for in a smart camera and provides a brief history of how the smart camera evolved. We’ll look at today’s “fourth generation” smart camera and envision how smart cameras will improve.