HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING


derivatives along the spectral information, up to performing principal component analysis (PCA) or partial least squares (PLS), a deep understanding of the condition, state and even the chemical composition of an object can be evaluated,’ Pail said.


Towards commoditisation? According to Boaz Arad, co-founder of Israeli hyperspectral imaging start-up HC-Vision, a common theme relating to most of the existing applications is the fact that they tend to be implemented by very large, well- funded organisations, such as multinational companies or government entities. In recent years, he has also observed a push towards the commoditisation of the technology, with hyperspectral acquisition hardware becoming smaller, cheaper and faster. ‘Crop monitoring solutions that were


once exclusive to large agricultural concerns are now being made available to individual growers by start-ups such as Gamaya. While not quite a hyperspectral imaging system, Consumer Physics’ pocket molecular sensor SCIO made quite a splash by providing consumers with an affordable and user friendly point spectrometer,’ Arad remarked. ‘At HC-Vision we are pushing the envelope


HC-Vision’s early prototype rig, a precursor of its single-sensor hyperspectral imaging camera


is also an excellent choice for inspection tasks and thus for quality assurance,’ he added. Williamson agreed that hyperspectral


imaging can see things that normal imaging can’t, meaning new applications are now possible that were not 10 years ago. Until very recently, he said that an industrial hyperspectral imaging system cost in excess of £100,000 because of the custom nature of the solution, reserving it for applications that could carry such a cost. However, he believes that recent developments in classification technology, combined with advances in traditional machine vision tools, mean that historically complex areas requiring scientific expertise can now be addressed by industry-focused integrators. ‘We have also seen the complexity of spectrographs coupled to cameras being


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replaced by pre-calibrated hyperspectral cameras such as the Specim FX10 and FX17. Tis makes some applications even easier to deploy. Prices for a complete system are now in the £50,000 area and I expect prices to reduce further,’ he said.


Manfred Pail, CFO at


We have seen the complexity of spectrographs coupled to cameras being replaced by pre-calibrated hyperspectral cameras


Austrian firm Perception Park, pointed to the fact that hyperspectral imaging essentially entails ‘the spatially resolved industrialisation of spectroscopy’ as another key advantage. Perception Park, among other things, delivers an enabling chemical colour imaging technology that allows users to develop their


own hyperspectral applications. ‘So spectroscopic and chemometric features


– chemical properties – can be processed in real-time. Trough statistical and chemometric methods, starting with just calculating


even further, by converting existing RGB sensors into VNIR hyperspectral imagers. Since these sensors are already ubiquitous in consumer electronics such as mobile phones, we believe this innovation may be the key to bringing hyperspectral imaging to the masses,’ he added. In Arad’s view, the wealth of data provided


by hyperspectral imaging now affords industry a ‘unique opportunity to detect complex patterns’ – with recent advances in machine learning ‘further leveraging this advantage, allowing the rapid development of detection algorithms and analytical processes’.


Remaining challenges Despite the undoubted benefits, Eckstein stressed that a number of key challenges remain before mass adoption can be achieved. He pointed out that the calibration of small cameras and microscopes is still an extremely complex process, with current calibration blocks suitable for lab applications only. ‘Light conditions are an enormous challenge


for developers, since a suitable, invariable light spectrum is always needed. However, this is unrealistic under real conditions. Aſter all, the light spectrum varies greatly from one application to another, and must therefore,


December 2017/January 2018 • Imaging and Machine Vision Europe 25


HC-Vision


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