Heavy Industry and Civil Engineering

Objects that are approximately 482°F (250°C) or hotter emit light in the invisible light spectrum (Short Wavelength Infra-Red, SWIR), and it is keenly anticipated that SWIR image sensors can be used to monitor temperature in sectors such as the steel industry.

Time of Flight (ToF) image sensors can be used in the adoption of integrated control technology (ICT) for heavy machinery. These sensors monitor surrounding conditions, thus providing assistance to machinery operators, contributing to automation, and helping to guarantee safety.

SPAD ToF depth sensors are expected to be useful in construction sites that are dangerous to enter, hazardous areas in general, and indoor areas that do not allow positioning by GPS or other satellite navigation systems. They can easily create 3D maps of nearby areas by measuring the surroundings.

In addition, 3D data with RGB information can be acquired by combining a SPAD ToF depth sensor and an RGB sensor. These 3D models that come with RGB information are useful for verifying the progress of construction and for private viewing of completed buildings.

Machine learning is being used for abnormality detection in plant equipment in recent years. It has the advantages of being more precise than identification by visual observation, and being able to detect abnormalities without having to rely on human judgment. Event-based vision sensors capable of detecting and tracking the movement of high-speed moving objects are also able to detect abnormalities in behavior that are imperceptible to the human eye. They can also provide delay-free notifications by keeping data volumes to a minimum, making them applicable for abnormality detection systems incorporating machine learning.