As industries continue to evolve, automation becomes increasingly prevalent. Quality inspection is critical to ensure that products meet certain standards, and this process usually involves visual inspection. In this blog post, we'll compare machine vision and human vision to determine which is more accurate.
Human Vision
Let's start with human vision, the standard method for quality inspection for many years. Although humans are capable of perceiving colors, shapes, and patterns, our visual acuity can be affected by various factors. According to a study published in the Journal of Vision, humans can recognize, on average, 50 to 80% of defects in a static image, depending on the size and type of the defect.
Similarly, due to the possibility of human error, repetitive visual inspection can lead to inconsistencies in the quality control process.
But come on, let's not be too harsh on ourselves. We've done a great job for so many years until technology came along and threw us under the bus.
Machine Vision
Machine vision is a technological innovation that uses cameras, computers, and software algorithms to perform visual inspections. This system is capable of surpassing human limitations in terms of the speed and accuracy of inspection.
Machine vision systems can detect imperfections and deviations that are invisible to the human eye. According to Basler, machine vision systems can have accuracies of up to 99.9%. The system can operate 24/7 and perform repetitive tasks with the same level of accuracy every time, without getting tired or distracted.
Which is More Accurate?
When it comes to accuracy, machine vision surpasses human vision by a significant margin. But that doesn't mean human vision doesn't have a role in quality inspection. Human inspection is still crucial to detect defects that are hard to program into machine vision software. Moreover, humans can provide feedback for constant machine-learning and improvement and adjust the system to adapt to new products.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the use of machine vision in the industrial automation industry is on the rise rapidly, and for a good reason. However, while machine vision may be more accurate, it doesn't mean that human vision should be brushed aside entirely. Instead, it should be used alongside machine vision to complement operations in quality inspection.
And remember, no robots were harmed during the writing of this blog post.
References
-
N. A. Halpern, "Visual acuity and its relationship to human error rate in static visual inspection," Journal of Vision, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 1-15, 2014, doi: 10.1167/14.4.13.
-
"Machine Vision," Basler AG, [Online]. Available: https://www.baslerweb.com/en/products/vision-technologies-overview/machine-vision/. [Accessed: Jan. 26, 2022].