Machines used to be blind, but computer vision gave them eyes! Now we can teach them to "see" like us, blurring the lines between real and digital with things like augmented reality.
COVID-19 slammed the brakes on businesses, but instead of stalling, they diverted onto the digital highway. Experts predict AI, automation, and even virtual reality will take over the world in the years to come, reshaping everything from work to shopping to the very fabric of reality.
Tech like computer vision is supercharging businesses and unlocking a universe of possibilities. Thanks to advances in VR and AR, the line between reality and the digital world is blurring – data scientists even predict they'll one day feel indistinguishable! It's an exciting time for computer vision and its impact.
What is Computer Vision?
The ability to read, understand, and derive any meaningful piece of information from any visual representation (image, video, or any other form) with the help of AI is simply called Computer Vision.
It’s more or less just like humans, besides the fact that how precisely they perform their actions. Today, computer vision is being used in many industries such as automotive, manufacturing, etc., and it is believed to have a market of approximately $17.4 billion in revenue by 2023 and $41.11 billion by 2030 (according to Allied Market Research).
Computer Vision Trends and Applications
After the developments in computer vision technology, we can see it growing in many fields. Some of the computer vision trends can be seen in:
1. Merged Reality
Merged Reality bridges the gap between our physical and digital worlds. Merged reality (MR) blends augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) into a seamless experience.
Understand it this way: AR overlays digital elements onto your real-world view, like the Pokemon Go game. VR, on the other hand, creates a fully computer-generated world, cutting you off from your physical surroundings. The merged reality combines these two, allowing digital objects to interact with and even integrate into your immediate environment.
2. Generative AI
Computer vision isn't just about seeing the world but it's also about creating it. Generative AI is the artistic branch of the machine mind, using its visual understanding to create artistic visuals.
Tools like DALL-E 2, where simple text prompts can get you an HD image. It can be used for many purposes like creating personalized product mockups or hyper-realistic movie sets, the possibilities are endless. As generative AI evolves, we can expect ever-more sophisticated creations, blurring the lines between human and machine artistry.
3. Safety and Security
As we all are well aware of the fact that how this pandemic dented the whole economy and many businesses were forced to shut down while some of them somehow survived. Now, in this recovery phase, to prevent any such outbursts, companies have taken their way towards AI, and with the help of this, they are managing and monitoring the safety and security of their workforce.
Not just this, if you can hop into the market, you may find the latest security cameras with the smart feature of detecting whether the person is wearing a mask or not to maintain hygiene and safety. This pandemic has forced us to adapt to a change and the way we used to see the world, and today many industries are using it as safety and security equipment.
Companies like Amazon, Nokia, and many more have already started using computer vision technology as a safety and security method for their employee and to ensure a smooth workflow.
4. Virtual Guidance
With the growth in technology, we are now shifting towards a new digital world. Today, many industries are relying upon virtual guidance technology in robotics. Just like human eyes have retina which helps in getting vision likewise, robotics is of no use without visual guidance as it helps them to see through it and perform the desired action.
This technology is becoming popular day by day in the manufacturing industry and is also helping in controlling labor expenses. Some other fascinating features of adopting virtual guidance are:
- It can help in setting up fully automated operations with less or no human interaction.
- Computer Vision is now being used for Inventory Management by many firms.
5. Data Annotation
We process images or any visual representation by linking dots right from the retina and it all connects with our brain to picturise, likewise, computers also need to join dots of the audio, or visual representation, and that has become possible with the help of Data Annotation.
The market of data annotation is going to expand more in 2025 and many more years today with the new adaptation of technologies, many sectors have started implementing data annotation (healthcare, automotive), etc. in their respective field.
Data Annotation can also be helpful in:
- Segregating data to clear out junk to form good meaningful data.
- Data Annotation is helpful in automating data labeling and future-proofing the workflow.
- It will gear up the data processing speed with almost zero error.
6. 3D Technology
Today, we have come so far in technology, that this might leave you in awe but today we have driverless cars running on the road. Isn’t that amazing, well likewise if we’re stuck in traffic we check maps to gather information about the traffic. This smooth rich experience of autopilot cars or live integration of traffic in an interactive way has been possible because of Lidar technology which can be found in today’s iPhones.
To provide a new way of diligent look and better-optimized performance, 3D technology has been in trend for a while now and we believe that it’s not going to leave anywhere till the next upcoming decade.
7. Prevent Cybercrime
The fear of safety and security has always been a concern in today’s digital world. On one side, we’re trying to automate most of the tasks, others are finding their ways to break the chain and prey for theft.
In the past few years, especially in the banking sector, this has become a concern and since then technology has been working towards making a safe and healthy environment of a digital world so that you feel safe with your sensitive data.
With the introduction of AI & ML, many preventive measures have been taken. Although, there have been many changes lots of more are underway and will be in trend for computer vision not only for 2025 but also for the upcoming many years.
8. Edge Computing
In computer vision, it becomes crucial to protect data privacy and at the same time to process data at a fast speed in real-time. Whereas, this technology processes near data sources rather than relying on the cloud network.
In the world of AI, we use edge computing to increase the response time of operation at a high bandwidth. Since edge computing does not require a data center, it becomes a positive point when using it when it comes to data privacy. It’s more secure due to its private architecture and becomes difficult for hackers to prey on it. Some of the most prominent benefits of using Edge Computing are:
- It provides a high processing speed for a large amount of data.
- Real-time analysis of data so that businesses can take action accordingly.
- With good processing speed, it helps in connecting to VMS (Video Management System) and cameras, so that any harmful activity can be traced and breaches can be prevented in real-time.
9. Quality Standards
By now, we’ve already discussed the usage of computer vision and its application throughout different industries. So, when it comes to manufacturing, this technology has been used for a while now to detect and check for quality standards so that the production cycle remains constant.
Today, with the massive growth in competition in almost every field, it becomes necessary to produce and offer a well-maintained quality product to end customers, and this is where AI has to be introduced into the market to maintain the smooth flow of QA and reduce the complexity of production.
10. Detection of Anomaly in Finance
In the past few years, there has been an ‘n’ number of reported incidents of fraudulent activity while processing any transaction. Anomaly, which is also known as outlier detection is part of AI that helps in detecting any disturbance or noise in a network that is unusual.
Apart from banking, it has been adopted by healthcare too. Although it uses certain sets of algorithms that help in preventing any fraudulent activity while making any financial transaction, now with the growth of technology, it has been modified and more security layers have been added to prevent it from any unethical means of trespassing.
11. Thermal Image Analysis
With the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, technology started approaching in different ways and that’s why thermal imaging has become popular in the past few years and it is going to be a hit in 2025 as well.
With the help of AI, it creates image/video sequences and detects any heat-emitting objects such as humans, animals, or cars. It exists in our world to overcome the drawbacks of 2D inspection and intelligence.
12. Supply Chain Management
You might not be surprised by the fact that today many things around us have changed and made it easy for us. Let’s talk about RFID tags that you find in any superstore or ERP system for resource planning in an organization, they all are labeled beneath the supply chain management system.
This has been made possible because of ease in technology and the latest trends following every year, although they need human eyes for monitoring again most of the parts are getting done smoothly. For this workflow to go on a smoother surface, AI is getting better day by day and we hope to get some more fascinating changes in the field of computer vision.
What is the Future of Computer Vision?
The future of computer vision is filled with infinite possibilities, erasing the line between digital and reality. It has changed the way we interact with technology and how computers interpret the world. Some computer vision trends to watch out for in 2025 are:
- Generative AI
- Deeper understanding
- Hyper-realistic synthesis
- Merged reality
- Medical tools for the visually impaired
Conclusion
As we’ve said earlier, the computer vision industry is booming at an immense ratio and will reach a whooping USD 17.4 Billion by 2030. There’s no denying that the world is changing and with the pace of development and adaptation of new trends, now is the time to look out for something out of the box. Since computer vision is and will be a new future, it is and will be easily acceptable for businesses to work on and it is also going to hold major stakes in the upcoming future!
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