Unique Technologies

HALCON offers a huge range of latest deep learning technologies

In combination with its large variety of rule-based methods, HALCON offers a huge range of the latest deep learning technologies. The result is a unique, completely integrated toolbox. The deep learning functions include:

• Deep-learning-based OCR
• Pretrained CNNs (Convolutional Neural Networks) for
  quickly building deep-learning-based applications
• Classification
• Object detection, also considering the objects’ orientation
• Semantic segmentation
• Anomaly detection
• Labeling of data
• HALCON’s deep learning inference can be executed on GPUs, on CPUs, and on Arm^® processors.

HALCON offers the largest variety of robust matching techniques for any task

• Correlation-based matching (NCC)
• Shape-based matching
• Component-based matching
• Descriptor-based matching
• Perspective and local deformable matching
• Shape- and surface-based 3D matching
• Deformable surface-based 3D matching

HALCON enters the next dimension with revolutionary methods for 3D vision

• Multi-view 3D calibration
• Hand-eye-calibration
• 3D alignment
• 3D matching
• 3D surface comparison
• Circle pose
• Rectangle pose
• 3D reconstruction
• Multi-view stereo
• Depth from focus
• Sheet of light
• 3D object processing
• 3D primitives fitting
• 3D scene flow
• Generic box finder
• Deflectometry

HALCON contains many more unique techniques

• Sample-based identification capable of differentiating a large number of objects
• Arbitrarily shaped regions of interest (ROIs) for significant flexibility and speed
• Extremely fast morphology and a wide set of subpixel-accurate methods
• Reading of bar codes and data codes with maximum robustness to occlusions and print quality
• Processing of extremely large images (more than 32k x 32k) without a limit
• Automatic operator parallelization (AOP)
• Surface-based 3D matching to find locally deformed objects in 3D data

Complete Hardware Independence

HALCON supports many different operating systems and processors:

HALCON is optimized to profit from the possibilities of the hardware

HALCON utilizes SIMD, multi-core CPUs, and multiprocessor computers. Moreover, HALCON provides an efficient automatic GPU acceleration based on the OpenCL standard. HALCON’s deep learning algorithms are optimized for NVIDIA GPUs and Intel CPUs.

HALCON supports a multitude of different image acquisition devices

• Universal acquisition interfaces for all GigE Vision compliant cameras from Allied Vision, Automation Technology, Basler, Baumer, Daheng, e2v, FLIR, Gardasoft, Hitachi, IDS Imaging, Imperx, JAI, Kappa optronics, MATRIX VISION, Mikrotron, NET, odos imaging, Photonfocus, Pleora, Quelltech, Roboception, Sentech, SICK, SMARTEK Vision, Sony, SVS-VISTEK, Tattile, Teledyne DALSA, The Imaging Source, Toshiba Teli, Vieworks, wenglorMEL, XENICS, and others.

• Universal acquisition interfaces for all USB3 Vision compliant cameras from Allied Vision, Basler, Baumer, Daheng, FLIR, IDS Imaging, JAI, MATRIX VISION, NET, Sentech, The Imaging Source, Toshiba Teli, XIMEA, and others.

• Universal acquisition interfaces for all GenICam GenTL compliant boards or cameras from Active Silicon, ADLINK, Allied Visiion, Basler, Baumer, Euresys, Gidel, KAYA Instruments, LMI, IDS Imaging, MATRIX VISION, Nerian, NET, Roseek, Silicon Software, SmartRay, SICK, VRmagic, XIMEA, ZividLabs, and others.

• Universal acquisition interface for all IIDC 1394 (FireWire) compliant cameras from Allied Vision, Basler, Baumer, FLIR, Hitachi, Kappa, Imaging Solutions Group, Kappa optronics, NET, PixeLINK, Sony, The Imaging Source, Toshiba Teli, and others.

• Universal acquisition interface for all capture devices with DirectShow, TWAIN or Video4Linux driver.

• Specific acquisition interface for cameras and frame grabber boards from ABS, ADLINK, Andor, Basler, BitFlow, Bluetechnix, Crevis, Daheng, Enseo, Euresys, heliotis, IDS, ifm, Leuze, LinX, Lumenera, MATRIX VISION, Matrix BV, Matrox, Opteon, PixeLINK, Photoneo, Raytrix, Sentech, SICK, Silicon Software, Teledyne DALSA, and VRmagic.

HALCON supports a multitude of different digital I/O devices

• Universal digital I/O interfaces for all OPC UA and OPC Classic compliant devices.
• Specific digital I/O interfaces for digital I/O devices from Advantech, Contec, Interface, National Instruments.
• Additional digital I/O devices can be integrated easily via a generic interface. 

Thus, HALCON enables scenarios of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) as well as agile production processes, increasing production efficiency (e.g., by predictive maintenance). Here, HALCON communicates with the respective system servers as an OPC UA client.