Smart camera

It contains all necessary communication interfaces, e.g. Ethernet, as well as industry-proof 24V I/O lines for connection to a PLC, actuators, relays or pneumatic valves, and can be either static or mobile.

This architecture has the advantage of a more compact volume compared to PC-based vision systems and often achieves lower cost, at the expense of a somewhat simpler (or omitted) user interface.

[8] One of the first mentions of smart optical sensors appeared in a concept evaluation for satellites by NASA and General Electric Space Division from 1977.

The main advantage of the visual approach versus programming is the shorter and somewhat easier development process, available also to non-programmers.

Other development tools are available with relatively few but comparatively high level functionalities, which can be configured and deployed with very limited effort.