How can you use vision sensors in robotics?

Vision sensors are devices that capture images or videos of the environment and process them to extract useful information for robotic tasks. They can help robots to perceive, navigate, manipulate, and interact with their surroundings in various ways. In this article, you will learn how you can use vision sensors in robotics, what types of vision sensors are available, and what challenges and opportunities they present.

1 Types of vision sensors

Vision sensors can be classified into different categories based on their characteristics and applications, such as monocular cameras, stereo cameras, depth cameras, and panoramic cameras. Monocular cameras are single-lens cameras that capture 2D images of a scene and are widely used for tasks such as face recognition and object detection. Stereo cameras are pairs of cameras that capture images from slightly different viewpoints and can estimate the depth of the scene. Depth cameras emit infrared light or laser beams to measure the distance of objects, providing direct depth information of the scene. Panoramic cameras capture a wide-angle or 360-degree view of the environment and can provide a comprehensive representation for tasks like surveillance or exploration. Each type has its own advantages, but also drawbacks; for instance, monocular cameras cannot provide depth information whereas stereo cameras require more computational power and calibration.

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Vision sensors encompass monocular, stereo, depth, and panoramic cameras, each serving distinct purposes. Monocular cameras excel in 2D image capture for tasks like object detection, while stereo cameras estimate scene depth. Depth cameras use infrared or laser to measure object distance, and panoramic cameras offer comprehensive views for surveillance and exploration. While each type boasts specific strengths, considerations such as depth capabilities, computational demands, and calibration complexities underscore the need for tailored sensor selection in various applications.

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2 Benefits of vision sensors

Vision sensors offer many benefits for robotics, such as versatility and adaptability to different scenarios and tasks. They are able to capture various types of information, like color, texture, shape, motion, and depth, and process them using image processing, computer vision, and machine learning. Additionally, they are relatively cheap and easy to integrate with other sensors and systems. They can be mounted on different parts of the robot and communicate with other sensors to fuse and optimize the data. Furthermore, vision sensors are intuitive and natural for human-robot interaction. They can recognize faces, expressions, gestures, and actions and respond accordingly. They can also provide feedback and guidance to the human user through graphical user interfaces or augmented reality.

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3 Challenges of vision sensors

Vision sensors present some challenges for robotics, such as being sensitive and noisy to environmental conditions and disturbances, as well as complex and computationally demanding to process and interpret. They often generate noise or errors due to sensor noise, lens distortion, or camera calibration, and produce large amounts of data that require high-speed and high-performance hardware and software. Additionally, they involve challenging problems such as image segmentation, feature extraction, object recognition, scene understanding, and decision making that require advanced algorithms and models. Moreover, vision sensors can raise ethical and social concerns regarding privacy and security issues like data collection, storage, and sharing. Finally, they may also affect human perception and behavior such as trust, acceptance, and collaboration that require evaluation and design.

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4 Examples of vision sensors in robotics

Vision sensors are widely used in robotics for various domains and applications, such as industrial robotics, service robotics, and social robotics. For instance, a monocular camera can be used to detect defects on a product, a stereo camera to measure the dimensions of a part, or a depth camera to grasp an object. Additionally, a panoramic camera can be used to monitor a large area, a depth camera to track a person's movements, or a stereo camera to navigate a crowded space. Furthermore, vision sensors can be used to recognize a person's identity, interpret their gestures, or coordinate with another robot.

Although vision sensors are essential and powerful tools for robotics that can help robots perceive, navigate, manipulate and interact with their environment in various ways, they also present some challenges and opportunities that require careful consideration and innovation. By understanding the types, benefits, and challenges of vision sensors, you can use them more effectively and creatively in robotics.

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Roberta (罗那) Tanzariello, MBA

Platform Lead Robotics and Digital Tools @ Rockwell Automation | MBA 6 𝐷𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑈𝑛𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑜𝑚
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Vision sensors play a critical role in robotics by providing visual perception and feedback. 1. **Cameras:** 2. **LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging):** to measure distances and create detailed 3D maps of the robot's environment. 3. **Depth Cameras:** Depth-sensing cameras 4. **Stereo Vision:** use two cameras to mimic human binocular vision. 5. **Infrared Sensors:** Infrared cameras and sensors detect heat radiation 6. **Structured Light Sensors:** 7. **Color Sensors:** 8. **Hyper Spectral Sensors:** These sensors capture data across a wide range of wavelengths 9. **Motion Sensors:** These sensors detect motion and changes in the environment. 10. **Event Cameras:** capture changes in the scene at a very high temporal resolution.

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5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How can you use vision sensors in robotics?

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1 Types of vision sensors

2 Benefits of vision sensors

3 Challenges of vision sensors

4 Examples of vision sensors in robotics

5 Here’s what else to consider

Robotics

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How can you use vision sensors in robotics?

1

2

3

4

5

1 Types of vision sensors

2 Benefits of vision sensors

3 Challenges of vision sensors

4 Examples of vision sensors in robotics

5 Here’s what else to consider

Robotics

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