Hi! I'm Bernard Marr and I'm happy to take part in 365 Data Use Cases - a really cool initiative by 365 Data Science.
I'd like to share with you one of my favorite data use cases, namely, using real-time data and streaming data for machine vision.
We also filmed a video on the topic. You can watch it below, or just scroll down to keep on reading.
Streaming Data, 5G, and Machine Vision in Business
How can we apply machine vision in business?
I'll give you an example with Cermaq, a Norwegian salmon fishing company.
In essence, this is a very traditional business that managed to successfully employ machine vision, streaming data, and 5G.
So, they're growing salmons in sea pens out on the sea. However, they've now connected them via 5G to their cloud service inside the sea pens. They're using cameras and sensors to monitor the fish and detect any developing diseases. Keep in mind that this was really difficult to do in the past because you had to take a few fish out and check them. Now, you can monitor them 24 hours a day, using really good cameras to spot even tiny little algae on the fish.
The other thing Cermaq are doing is trying to improve the operation.
To achieve that, they are automating it using machine vision and, more specifically, face recognition for salmon.
This is necessary because, in the past, salmon didn't grow in equal sizes. Sometimes, the weaker ones would stay smaller, while the stronger ones who get all the food, would get bigger.
That is why they are automating the process.
Here's how it works.
They're issuing food pallets only to the ones that have not eaten before, as they can now recognize them on the camera. That means, if a really strong salmon turns up and has already eaten, they don't get food. If the weaker ones come up, they get food.
It also means that they can now automatically take the ones that are big enough out into a separate pen. They can also automatically take someone that is developing a disease out.
Naturally, this makes this whole process better. And for me, this is a truly great example of how machine vision, 5G, streaming data, and cloud computing can really drive the performance of even one of the most traditional businesses.
I hope that you find this data use case interesting. If you want to see any more use cases, check out my YouTube channel where you can find hundreds of articles on data science and how companies use data and AI.
And, if you want to learn how to leverage the value of data to make better-informed decisions and position any business for success, check out my course Data Strategy for free.
