Glossary · Machine vision
Smart camera
Also known as: Intelligent camera, Vision sensor, Embedded vision camera
German: Smart-Kamera
In machine vision, a smart camera is a camera with integrated image processing, inputs and outputs and a communication interface, so it can acquire images, evaluate them and report results to the control system without a separate vision computer.
- Machine vision
In one sentence
A smart camera combines image capture, processing and I/O in one housing, delivering results directly to the PLC without a vision PC.
Example
A smart camera at the labeling machine checks label position and reports pass or fail to the PLC over PROFINET.
How it applies
- Engineering: Smart cameras are compact and simple to integrate; processing power and flexibility are lower than PC-based systems. Many now include AI inference, making them a form of Edge AI.
- Commissioning: Jobs are configured with the vendor's software and stored in the camera; the PLC selects jobs and receives results over a fieldbus.
- Documentation: The documentation team should document job files, firmware version, fieldbus interface and backup and restore, because a replacement camera needs the same job and settings.
Smart camera vs. PC-based vision system
A smart camera processes images in the camera. A PC-based Vision system connects one or more cameras to a computer with more processing power and software flexibility, at higher cost and integration effort.