CVS Hyperinspect – a complete system for industrial hyperspectral imaging

CVS Hyperinspect is based on the principle of Chemical Colour Imaging where the wavelengths of light from the object are spectroscopically analysed in real time. This gives a ‘chemical fingerprint’ of the materials being imaged, with each chemical component colour coded in the image. In this way, chemical differences in similar looking materials can be identified. Similarly, chemically identical materials in different looking objects can be determined.

Many packaging materials are transparent to the infrared light used in hyperspectral imaging giving the added benefit that materials can still be differentiated chemically, even through the packaging.

Based on the analysis of more than 100 wavelengths to provide detailed chemical information, CVS Hyperinspect generates large volumes of data. However, specially developed software reduces and simplifies these data so it can be used in traditional machine vision software. By simplifying the whole process, CVS Hyperinspect has opened up applications in a multitude of industries, including food, medical, life sciences, pharmaceutical, recycling, document inspection, wood and mining.

The basic components of CVS Hyperinspect include a spectrograph to sort the light reflected from the sample into its constituent wavelengths.  An IR-sensitive sensor then acquires an image from the sample at each of these wavelengths. These images are combined to form a three-dimensional hyperspectral data cube. Flexible, high-speed data processing software extracts data from the data cube which is processed in real time to produce an image where the output of each pixel is colour coded according to the chemical composition of the material it is looking at. It is then possible to use standard machine vision colour sorting solutions to make the chemical material properties accessible to the machine vision engineer. 

STEMMER IMAGING’s expert knowledge of the technique allows all of the necessary components to be built into a fully functional system to meet the particular requirements of the application. STEMMER IMAGING, in association with the European Imaging Academy, also runs regular training courses on the principles of hyperspectral imaging which include practical demonstrations and exercises with samples that participants can bring themselves.