Helbling facilitates AI integration for series products

(CONNECT) Experts from the Zurich-based engineering and consulting firm Helbling increase the cost-effectiveness of embedded vision systems. According to a specialist article, they rely on the use of customized single-board computers (SBCs). This practice is aimed at reducing costs and optimizing performance. To this end, Helbling has developed a modular reference design for SBCs that is already being used successfully in various projects. The experts emphasize that the solutions described are particularly attractive with increasing quantities.

Embedded vision systems integrate computer vision technologies into devices and consist of image sensors, processing units and software for image processing. They enable image data to be captured and analyzed almost in real time and autonomous decisions to be made. Examples of applications include the automotive sector, industry, medical technology and building automation.

Helbling's modular reference design addresses the issue that standard SBCs are often oversized and expensive. According to the experts, however, the customized SBCs are tailored to the respective application and do not contain any superfluous additional components. The choice of processor also plays a central role here.

They cite the camera interface as an example of potential savings in practice: Instead of USB solutions, Helbling recommends MIPI to save costs and improve image quality. "By connecting this interface directly to the SBC, there is no need for additional components to convert the raw image data from MIPI to USB signals," it says.

In the technical article, a cost model shows that the initially higher development costs are often amortized after just two to three years due to the savings in manufacturing costs. The SBCs can be used in a variety of ways, for example in robust housings or for AI-supported image processing. ce/yvh