Let's say you have a PLC controlling a custom application, and you want to add machine vision. First you'll need a camera. Traditionally, this camera would connect to an industrial PC to send images to. The industrial PC would use proprietary machine vision software to extract data from the images, then send that data to the PLC. Some advanced vision systems have AI processing power built right into the camera for simplicity. But these smart cameras are not cheap - around $5,000 to $25,000 each. The software is also expensive. Annual license fees range from $4,000 - $7,000 per year. These costs can make machine vision prohibitively expensive. But what if your PLC could run local AI right where you need it? You could use open-source software that is freely available with a more cost effective camera to produce a custom machine vision system that is dramatically less expensive. Meet the Yokogawa e-RT3. Here's a demo showing the e-RT3 counting the number of fingers I'm holding up - using only a regular webcam. Your application may vary, but Yokogawa e-RT3 puts the control back in your hands by combining modern open-source software side by side with traditional machine control. If you have any questions or are just looking for some help, we're happy to discuss your application with you. Reach out to us at (800) 774-5630 or fill out our online form.