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Using bright LED lighting and video cameras; combined with motion tracking software, our solution counts passing cans from many angles with no need for mirrors and minimal hardware
About
A bright LED light alongside a camera is aimed at the conveyor belt. Due to the reflective nature of the cans, they clearly stand out to the camera against a black matte belt. Our software then generates a black/white bitmap of these reflection points and edge detection is performed to mark out individual cans. Based on cans detected in the previous frame compared to the current one and some knowledge of the conveyor speed, we can then consistently track individual can locations over time and, by extension, count how many unique cans have been detected.
Key Benefits
Bright lighting makes them stand out clearly against the background due to how reflective they are Motion tracking avoids double count Using computer vision rather than lasers means it can work from any angle without needing mirrors or other bounce hardware under/ on the other side of the conveyor, as well as not requiring single file By requiring a minimal amount of hardware, it becomes straightforward to add large numbers of counting stations throughout the line
Applications
This solution is particularly useful in accurately counting products on the production line within a manufacturing environment. Our solution can also potentially be used for identifying defects by shining lights through the cans e.g. the open end of the can (and then looking for the light shining out through its sides). An additional benefit of the solution is that it can identify a foreign object that may have found its way on to the production line. Additionally, the video output can be used to control the production flow.