Data acquisition
LEUZE SETS NEW STANDARD IN DISTANCE MEASUREMENT WITH AI-POWERED OPTICAL SENSORS
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A new neural network from Leuze, trained on real production data, minimises surface-related deviations, improving sensor precision for demanding industrial environments.
euze uses artificial intelligence (AI) to significantly improve the measurement accuracy of optical distance sensors for challenging industrial applications. This innovation improves measurement accuracy without the need for additional computing resources during operation. The solution is based on a neural network.
OBJECT SURFACES AS CHALLENGES Optical distance sensors with time-of-flight technology (TOF) offer practical benefits. The sensors enable fast, contactless measurement of large distances, are insensitive to ambient light and provide continuous distance data in real time. The sensor’s operating principle measure distances by recording the time it takes for emitted light to travel to the object and back. Laser or LED pulses are generally used for this purpose. However, time-of-flight technology also has limitations in measurement accuracy: How precise the results are depends heavily on the nature of the object surface. Dark surfaces can weaken the reflected signal. They generate narrower pulses and the echo is detected later. Bright surfaces, on the other hand, generate stronger signals with a wider pulse width that are detected earlier. That means the returning signal is detected at different times depending on whether the object’s surface is light or dark. This can cause measurement errors that must be compensated for.
POLYNOMIAL FUNCTION: LIMITED FLEXIBILITY
Until now, mathematical models based on defined algorithms have been used to correct these errors. A correction value is calculated for many different surfaces and distances, which is later applied automatically. This calculation is based on a so-called polynomial function. Polynomial functions offer an efficient solution for stable, continuous error curves. One disadvantage, however, is the limited imaging accuracy in the case of complex factors, such as strongly varying
surface reflections. As the model parameters are fixed, the functions cannot automatically adapt to changing environmental conditions.
to the next layer. This activation function enables the network to learn even complex, non-linear relationships and is not limited to simple calculation patterns.
LEARNING FROM REAL DATA
NEURAL NETWORK FOR CORRECTION VALUE CALCULATIONS
Leuze have a much more precise and flexible solution. Instead of working with rigid formulas, Leuze uses a neural network to determine the correction value. A neural network is a form of artificial intelligence that is modeled on the human brain. It consists of nodes (neurons) in three types of layers: the input layer, hidden layers and the output layer. The neural network processes information by passing input data step through these one layer at a time. The neurons weigh their results, summarise them and convert them using functions so that a precise result is produced at the end. A so-called activation function decides how strongly a neuron becomes ‘active’, i.e. what value it passes on
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The AI solution developed by Leuze uses sample data to learn how brightness and surface texture affect the optical distance sensor’s measurements. This makes it much easier to correct the measured values. The neural network is trained with data consisting of raw distance values and pulse widths as input parameters as well as the corresponding standardised correction values at the output. The training data can be generated from the production process, in which many measured values are collected: for light, dark and differently textured surfaces as well as for different distances. These measured values are communicated to the production facility’s control system. From this, the production facility’s neural network calculates the correction values for the sensor. The sensor then requires no additional computing power during operation – the AI has already ‘learned’ everything.
FIVE STEPS FOR PRECISE VALUES The Leuze neural network consists of five layers. In each layer, all neurons are fully connected to each other. This means that all information flows into the calculation. A so-called ReLU activation function is used: ReLU stands for ‘Rectified Linear Unit’. This ensures
March 2026 Instrumentation Monthly
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