Chapter 1
Introduction
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National Instruments Corporation
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Vision Development Module
The Vision Development Module is an image acquisition, processing, and
analysis library of more than 270 functions for common machine vision
tasks, such as:
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Pattern matching
•
Particle analysis
•
Gauging
•
Taking measurements
•
Grayscale, color, and binary image display
You can use the Vision Development Module functions individually or in
combination. With the Vision Development Module, you can acquire,
display, and store images, as well as perform image analysis and
processing. Using the Vision Development Module, imaging novices and
experts can program the most basic or complicated image applications
without knowledge of particular algorithm implementations.
NI Vision Assistant is included with the Vision Development Module.
Vision Assistant is an interactive prototyping tool for machine vision and
scientific imaging developers. With Vision Assistant, you can prototype
vision applications quickly and test how various vision image processing
functions work.
Vision Assistant generates a Builder file, which is a text description
containing a recipe of the machine vision and image processing functions.
This Builder file provides a guide you can use for developing applications
in any ADE, such as LabWindows/CVI or Visual Basic, using the
Vision Assistant machine vision and image processing libraries. Using the
LabVIEW VI creation wizard, Vision Assistant can create LabVIEW VI
block diagrams that perform the prototype you created in Vision Assistant.
You can then use LabVIEW to add functionality to the generated VI.
Integration with DAQ and Motion Control
Platforms that support NI-IMAQ also support NI-DAQ and a variety of
National Instruments DAQ devices. This allows for integration between
image acquisition devices and DAQ devices.
Use National Instruments high-performance stepper and servo motion
control products with pattern matching software in inspection and guidance
applications, such as locating alignment markers on semiconductor wafers,
guiding robotic arms, inspecting the quality of manufactured parts, and
locating cells.