T-Up Powers 3D Vision Technology for JM Vistec's Next-Gen Pick-and-Place Robots

Sunny Tan (right) with his T-Up mentor, Mr Alvin Tan Wei Wen (left) from SIMTech's Advanced Imaging and Machine-vision (AIM).

Headquartered in Singapore, JM Vistec System (JM Vistec) is a machine vision system integrator responsible for distributing and making industrial cameras, lighting and other vision system equipment. Part of their work revolves around the research and development (R&D) of vision system programmes, which can be costly for a small SME.

Advancing the technology

Through A*STAR's Technology for Enterprise Capability Upgrading (T-Up) programme, Mr Alvin Tan, scientist at A*STAR SIMTech was seconded to JM Vistec to help bring their new 3D camera to market. To support these T-Up projects, A*STAR partners the Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT)'s Integrated Work Study Programme (IWSP) to engage students and foster collaborative R&D efforts through work attachments. Mr Sunny Tan, a final year undergraduate at SIT in 2022, was attached to JM Vistec under the mentorship of Alvin. The project, called WP1, was a full hardware and software solution to help machines determine their position and accurately move objects, a process often referred to as "point cloud mapping."

“The main challenge in this was developing a 3D vision platform that could be adjusted to the needs of different clients,” explains Mr Eugene Goh, Managing Director of JM Vistec. “The current setup we had could only generate raw point cloud data, which is difficult to work with. Alvin helped to improve this data and ensure the camera and robot interacted effectively.”

During his IWSP under the mentorship of Alvin, Sunny was tasked with developing the company's in-house 3D imaging system called the "3D Fringe Projection System". This technology captures detailed three-dimensional images by projecting light patterns onto objects, allowing for precise measurements and analysis. Sunny's role was to integrate this system with a newly acquired collaborative robot, for a demonstration that involved picking up and placing items.

Through this T-Up collaboration with Alvin and Sunny, the WP1 project employs a special type of 3D camera technology known as DLP Structured Light, which is an integrated camera and lens setup. This technology is ideal for pick-and-place robots, which are generally found in warehousing, logistics and manufacturing industries. These robots are used to reach various locations, pick up items and move them around using sophisticated vision systems.

Sunny said, “The IWSP provided me with extensive hands-on knowledge in machine vision, image processing, and AI. I also gained valuable insights into emerging 3D imaging technologies and developed strong project management skills.”

Trade Show success thanks to T-Up

Ultimately, JM Vistec was able to exhibit WP1 at the 2022 Industrial Transformation Asia Pacific (ITAP) trade show, even though the product was still in development. “We acquired a lot of enquiries and interest,” says Goh, who was pleased with the experience as it enabled them to partner with brands such as Mech-Mind and Percipio, which deepened their expertise in 3D vision technology.

The T-Up collaboration succeeded in giving the company's technical and sales teams new knowledge of 3D vision products that they could take to potential partners. The result was closer collaboration with companies like Hexagon, ABB and SYSPEX and new clients like Hyundai, Philips and Singapore Polytechnic, as well as an increase in revenue in 2023.

A future of potential

This year, JM Vistec is finalising their plans for commercialising WP1. There is also a second project in the works - the 1 shot 3D Confocal Microscope, which could help address common pain points in the semiconductor industry.

Goh is very happy with what the A*STAR T-Up programme did for his company. “SMEs like us cannot be focusing too much on R&D,” he said. “The costs of running an R&D project with talent involved is high. We need to be out there providing commercialised solutions to generate revenue.” However, he notes the value of R&D work, acknowledging the importance of being on top of the latest innovative solutions on the market and to be able to offer them to clients and partners.

This is why working with A*STAR is crucial for us to be engaged with the latest technological offerings. The T-Up programme helped us gain access to talent that can directly contribute to our gaps in technological knowledge and expertise.

Mr Eugene Goh, Managing Director of JM Vistec