To keep pace with the surging demands of modern automation and digital transformation, manufacturers now demand edge AI platforms that are not just powerful but intelligent, rugged, and scalable by design.

Ken Briodagh interviews Marc Tsai with MITAC live from embedded world 2025.

Automated optical inspection (AOI) is a quality-control process used by manufacturers to detect and identify defects in products. It plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of quality control, reducing the likelihood of defects reaching the end consumer.

Smart factories are fairly new concepts, but have evolved more in the last decade than in the 50 years prior. First, a smart factory is an advanced manufacturing facility that employs cutting-edge technologies such as the IoT, AI, and automation to optimize the entire production process.

Machine vision, sometimes referred to as computer vision, is a subset AI that lets computers interpret and understand visual information from the world. It involves algorithms and systems that allow machines to "see" and comprehend images or videos, similar to how humans perceive and understand the visual world.

The evolution within a factory or other manufacturing facility has been occurring as long as those establishments have existed. Getting higher yields, more efficient production, etc., is a never-ending goal. To that end, the “smart factory” was born.

The judges have met and the votes are in. I’m pleased to announce the latest round of Embedded Computing Design’s Best in Show winners for the Automate 2023 Show.