Right from the 18th century, the global manufacturing industry has always been at the forefront of process-driven innovation. The coming of Industry 4.0 marked a step in the same direction, this time by harnessing the power of technology.
While Industry 4.0 marked the advent of digitalization in the manufacturing domain Industry 5.0 marks the next wave of innovation. Industry 5.0 is referred to as the “new age of human-machine collaboration.”
Effectively, Industry 5.0 moves beyond automation – and promotes human-machine collaboration. Besides, this wave of the industrial revolution weaves in an important focus on environmental sustainability and efficient resource utilization.
As pointed out in this Forbes article, Industry 5.0 is a shift from “economic” value to “societal” value – or from human welfare to human well-being. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, most organizations agree that the key to survival is business resilience, which is among the foundational pillars of Industry 5.0.
The latest statistics on Industry 5.0 in 2023 look promising. By 2032, its global value is expected to be valued at $658.4 billion. Does AI-driven computer vision (CV) have a critical role in Industry 5.0? Let’s discuss that in this blog.
Why Computer Vision has an essential role in Industry 5.0
For manufacturing companies, Industry 4.0 laid the foundation of innovative technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and Intelligent automation. Essentially, Industry 5.0 builds on the existing foundation of Industry 4.0 by bringing a human-centric approach to industrial automation.
To meet the changing needs of manufacturing, Industry 5.0 focuses on key areas like:
- Human-machine collaboration
- Sustainable production
- Customized products
- Data-driven decision making
An example of human-machine collaboration is collaborative robots (or cobots) that can work closely with humans in industrial facilities. With CV-enabled vision intelligence, machines are visually enabled (or acquire the ability to see like humans). For example, in smart factories, CV systems can do much more than simply capture moving images. They can also help robots perform cognitive tasks like identifying and removing damaged goods.
In the new age of smart manufacturing, computer vision is an essential technology that can capture and act on real-time visual data. As an example, in intelligent factories, CV-enabled surveillance systems can measure in real-time the distance between human workers and hazardous materials or restricted zones. This is critical in alerting workers to potential security risks or accidents.
Besides these, computer vision has multiple use cases in an Industry 5.0-enabled smart factory:
- Detecting defective or low-quality products.
- Identifying any damaged or inaccurate product labels.
- Detecting any missing or misplaced products.
- Measuring and allocating shelf space for storage.
Benefits of Computer Vision in Industry 5.0
Simply put, computer vision enables machines in the manufacturing domain to “see and process” visual information. Effective quality management is a vital benefit of CV technology in Industry 5.0. Manufacturers can meet – and exceed – quality standards through continuous monitoring of their production processes. Besides improving product quality, CV-enabled systems can reduce wastage and improve efficiency.
Among the current industry demands, there is an urgent need to upskill the human workforce in the manufacturing domain. Automation takes care of several manual or repetitive tasks and opens the door to more human innovation and nuance. However, human workers need to learn how to work with industrial robots. CV-enabled intelligent systems ensure that workers adhere to operating procedures for maximum productivity.
Here are the major benefits of computer vision in Industry 5.0:
- Higher productivity
A Deloitte report on smart factories focuses on how to improve productivity by combining computer vision with automation technologies. The report claims this integration can increase employee productivity by 12% and production outcomes by 10%.
- Reduced downtime
In Industry 4.0, manufacturers continue to struggle with unplanned machine downtime and loss of productivity. Through real-time monitoring and analytics, computer vision can minimize machine downtime. A Cloudera manufacturing report found that predictive maintenance (powered by CV technology) can reduce equipment downtime by 50%.
- Data-driven business decisions
Data-driven decisions are at the core of the modern Industry 5.0 age. Through computer vision, manufacturers now have both the “visual and cognitive” ability to drive their real-time decision-making process. For instance, CV systems can monitor and detect major bottlenecks in the production process. This data is invaluable for manufacturers to track and improve overall productivity.
In summary
To summarize, Industry 5.0 brings the focus back to human-machine collaboration and on how to leverage human capabilities with machine efficiency. As an AI-powered technology, computer vision elevates Industry 5.0 to the next level. For instance, computer vision can assist modern robotics to:
- Easily navigate complex environments and paths.
- Perform high-precision tasks with accuracy.
- Develop human-like cognitive skills and perceptions.
At KamerAI, we specialize in AI-powered computer vision solutions for the benefit of manufacturing companies. Our customized CV solutions can accelerate your transition to Industry 5.0 and smart factories.
Our professional team of computer vision experts can help you in this transition. To know more, talk to our CV experts today.
