Hyperspectral imaging allows us to look deep under the surface of objects. Machine vision, in particular, uses this innovative camera technology and thus paves the way for entirely new possibilities in quality management. This benefits a wide range of industries, such as food and beverages, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
Hyperspectral cameras see more than conventional image acquisition devices do—and are even superior to the human eye. This is because these devices can capture digital image data from a very broad electromagnetic spectrum. While conventional camera technology, just as the human eye, only detects the wavelengths of prime colors (red, green, and blue), hyperspectral systems detect hundreds of different wavelengths. The spectrum ranges from ultraviolet wavelengths to long-wave infrared radiation. The advantage of this feature is that it allows revealing of material properties that are actually located beneath the object’s surface and are invisible to the naked eye. This works because certain material properties alter the surface in such a way that these light waves (which cannot be detected with conventional cameras) are reflected differently than in “normal” situations.