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THE LIGHTING AND OPTICS EXPERT SYSTEM 
FOR MACHINE VISION 
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Amir R. Novini 
Director of Engineering 
813 Vision Systems 
821 Ball Corporation 
Industrial Systems Division 
825 U.S.A. 
ABSTRACT : 
832 
Machine Vision and the field of Artificial Intelligence are both new technologies which have 
839 evolved mainly within the past decade with the growth of computers and microchips. And, 
although research continues, both have emerged from the experimental state to industrial 
reality. Today's machine vision systems are solving thousands of manufacturing problems in 
844 various industries, and the impact of Artificial Intelligence, and more specifically, the use 
of "Expert Systems" in industry is also being realized. This paper will examine how the two 
250 technologies can cross paths, and how an Expert System can become an important part of an 
overall machine vision solution. 
856 An actual example of a development of an Expert System that helps solve machine vision lighting 
and optics problems will be discussed. The lighting and optics Expert System was developed to 
assist the end user to configure the "Front End" of a vision system to help solve the overall 
862 machine vision problem more effectively, since lack of attention to lighting and optics has 
caused many failures of this technology. 
867 Other areas of machine vision technology where Expert Systems could apply will also be 
discussed. 
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KEY WORDS: Artificial Intelligence, Expert System, Machine Vision, System Design 
880 
885 INTRODUCTION WHAT IS AN EXPERT SYSTEM? 
893 The field of artificial intelligence (AI) has An expert system is a combination of a 
been around for over two decades. However, sophisticated computer program and a knowledge 
most of that time it has been at research level base to duplicate the actions of a human expert 
897 at various universities and research in an existing human art. The major difference 
institutes. The application of AI and its between an expert system computer program and a 
900 widespread acceptance has been slow coming but traditional computer program is the ability of 
has picked up pace recently due to advances in an expert system program to operate with 
916 Al technology and its main tool, the computer. incomplete input information (fuzzy data) and 
to internally generate new information from old 
923 This paper will examine one area in the field information. 
of artificial intelligence, the Expert System, 
and how it can be used as a powerful tool in Expert systems offer a wide variety of 
932 another area of technology, the applications of benefits. Some of the benefits are the 
Machine Vision. preservation of expertise, the distribution of 
941 scarce expertise, and combination of expertise. 
Expert systems are used in manufacturing, 
945 WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE? 
Artificial Intelligence is a science that 
enables computers to perform tasks with human- 
like intelligence. AI encompasses a broad 
field of technology that includes, but is not 
limited to, expert systems, computer vision, 
speech recognition, natural language, and 
machine learning. 
medicine, finance, and management information 
Systems, to name a few. 
HOW AN EXPERT SYSTEM WORKS 
An expert system is created by transporting as 
much of a human expert's knowledge in a given 
art as possible and appropriate to a computer