Contents

  • Computer Vision – An Overview
  • Links of Interest

Friends,

As we emerge from several months of strangeness, we are looking forward to what is next.  This week, we look at computer vision.

Computer vision is everywhere, but is still cutting edge in most industries. While yet to gain wide consumer notice, it is expected to be worth $28B by 2030, according to Global Data.

From guiding self-driving cars to helping surgeons at the operating table, computer vision is one of the fastest-growing technologies and will soon be a part of nearly every aspect of our lives, if it isn’t already.

To highlight the many ways it is being used right now, we’ve broken down its use in eight industries. I hope you find the examples as intriguing and inspiring as we do.

INDUSTRIES

Retail: From cashierless stores to theft prevention, not to mention letting you pay with your face, computer vision could revolutionize brick-and-mortar … or at least make it more convenient.

Marketing: Brands can create virtual fashion models that are indistinguishable from humans, track consumer attention and emotions, and allow online customers to try on products virtually, for example glasses at Zenni, Firmoo and Glasses.com.

Banking and finance: Smart bank branches use facial recognition technology to scan customers’ faces in order to deliver “personalized and customized service.” Computer vision can also anticipate fraud by tracking in-branch activity and customers’ facial expressions, or using iris scans to identify customers.

Healthcare: Part of China’s coronavirus response was automated hospitals staffed only by robots. This is one of the more alluring uses of computer vision in healthcare, but the technology is also used for diagnosing illness and measuring blood loss during surgery.

Manufacturing: Manufacturing is one of the leaders in computer vision, most remarkably in operating and overseeing “lights out” — fully automated and humanless — factories. It is also used for predictive maintenance and product assembly, inspection and tracking.

Agriculture: Computer vision allows robots to automatically clear rocks from fields, saving farmers valuable time. Once the crop is harvested, computer vision helps grade and sort it as well.

Construction: During the coronavirus, computer vision is being used on construction sites to ensure social distancing. It also monitors site activities, helps prevent worker injuries, and inspects sites for defects in structures and materials.

Automotive: It’s what makes a self-driving car see. ‘Nuff said.

Links of Interest


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