Processors continue to push the growth of vision systems in automating some procedures on processing and packaging lines. Historically, vision systems have been used for activities such as quality sorting in food streams and as control for pick and place robotics systems.
As computer processors continue to advance in power and affordability, more advanced imaging systems are finally making it to market, says Colin Usher, research scientist for Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) in Atlanta. For example, a new vision system recently introduced to the market uses an illuminated cone and advanced image processing algorithms in order to estimate the amount of residual meat left on a chicken frame after deboning.