IDS NXT lighthouse

CLOUD-BASED AI-VISION STUDIO

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AI vision development without prior knowledge

The AI Vision Studio IDS NXT lighthouse is the cloud-based software component of our AI vision platform IDS NXT. It can be used to manage image datasets, train neural networks and create complete image processing applications for IDS NXT embedded vision cameras. Easy-to-use tools cover the entire development workflow from image to ready-to-use application - without the need for special prior knowledge of Deep Learning, image processing or application programming.

IDS NXT lighthouse Login
In order to use IDS NXT lighthouse, access data of an IDS customer account are required. At first login a valid license key must be entered for activation.
IDS NXT lighthouse - categorise image data with labels
For the training of neural networks image examples are created as data sets. The image data can be easily categorised by assigning labels.
IDS NXT lighthouse - modify image data
IDS NXT lighthouse can automatically modify and multiply the existing image data at random before the training in order to create sample data as varied as possible.
IDS NXT lighthouse - set inference time
The maximum inference time, which a trained neural network may need to reach a decision in operation mode, can be set as a training parameter.
IDS NXT lighthouse - result training sequence
The training history informs the user about the reached accuracy of the neural network and the applied parameters.
IDS NXT lighthouse - result training sequence
The use case assistant, with its ready-made application templates, is the perfect starter tool for realising individual AI vision apps in the cloud.
IDS NXT lighthouse - result training sequence
With the block-based editor, very individual ideas and concepts of AI processing can be mapped in vision apps without having to know the syntax of a specific text-based programming language.
IDS NXT lighthouse - result training sequence
The confusion matrix is suitable for assessing the performance of a classification network and shows how test or validation data is classified compared to the assigned labels.

SIMPLE WORKFLOW

IDS NXT lighthouse is intuitive to use and makes it possible to create an artificial neural network within a few minutes. This requires three essential steps: The user uploads training images, labels these images and then trains the desired net.

IMMEDIATELY READY FOR USE

Call up the web application, log in - and you can start training a neural network right away. Instead of first having to set up an individual development environment, users of IDS NXT lighthouse have immediate access to all functions as well as the required infrastructure.

PARTICULARLY SECURE

IDS customers can choose to host and run IDS NXT lighthouse on Microsoft Azure or on AWS (Amazon Web Services). Both cloud services store customer and application data in strictly secured data centres on German servers with the highest data protection and data security requirements.

A PERFECT MATCH

Users decide for themselves how fast or exactly the inference should be on their IDS NXT camera. IDS NXT lighthouse then optimizes the training settings, taking into account the AI core performance of the camera. This is only possible thanks to the optimal coordination between software and hardware, which IDS customers get as perfect bundle.

COMPLETE WORKFLOW

IDS NXT lighthouse is a cloud-based AI vision studio for managing and annotating image datasets, training neural networks and creating the image processing applications based on them. AI vision tasks can thus be fully developed and solved with just one cloud service.

FAST TRAINING

IDS NXT lighthouse allows you to train your own artificial neural network within a few minutes. This requires three main steps: Upload training images, label training images and then train the desired network.

EASY APP DEVELOPMENT

With the block-based editor and the use case assistant, individual image processing sequences with machine learning methods, such as detection or classification of objects, can be created even without programming knowledge, which can be executed directly as vision apps on IDS NXT devices.

SUFFICIENT PERFORMANCE

As a cloud service, IDS NXT lighthouse uses the data centre and network architecture of Microsoft Azure or AWS (Amazon Web Services). IDS customers therefore benefit from sufficient performance and server space to store all customer data and training projects and execute neural network training processes efficiently and quickly.

ALWAYS UP-TO-DATE

As Software as a Service (SaaS), IDS NXT lighthouse always stays up to date. We continuously care for maintenance, servicing and further development of the AI training platform. Users can concentrate on their core business and also benefit immediately from each free function update.

FAQ

Do you have a question? You may find the answer you need here:

With which login data can I use IDS NXT lighthouse?

Use the access data of your IDS customer account for the login. For the use of IDS NXT lighthouse an activation via license key is required. This will be supplied with the IDS NXT ocean design-in kit. Buyers of an IDS NXT industrial camera must purchase a license to access IDS NXT lighthouse.

  • A six-month licence is included in the IDS NXT ocean Creative Kit.
  • In the IDS webstore, licence extensions with different runtimes can be purchased.
  • In addition, you can try out IDS NXT lighthouse with unlimited functionality free of charge for one month.

With which internet browser can I use IDS NXT lighthouse?

Please use IDS NXT lighthouse on the following browsers:

  • Google Chrome: Version 102.0 or higher
  • Mozilla Firefox: Version 91.0 or higher
  • Microsoft Edge: Version 90.0.818.49 or higher

The IDS NXT lighthouse access was activated by my colleague. How do I get access?

IDS NXT lighthouse accounts are always linked to an individual – this means that the activation should be done by the actual user. A transfer is possible on request. Please contact the IDS sales department.

For collaborative work, image data sets and training projects can also be "shared" between several IDS NXT lighthouse accounts. To do this, use the "collaboration" function in the basic settings of a data set or training project.

Can IDS NXT lighthouse projects be managed by several people at the same time?

Image datasets and training projects for neural networks can be "shared" between different IDS NXT lighthouse accounts. This enables collaborative work across multiple personal accounts. To do this, use the " collaboration" function in the basic settings of a dataset or training project.

How long will my IDS NXT lighthouse account be valid?

You will find the information about the duration in your IDS NXT lighthouse account. To check the validity of your account, please visit www.ids-lighthouse.ai/profile. You will be notified by email two weeks before your license expires. If your account has already expired, you will be asked to enter a new license key when you log in.

What can I do if I have forgotten my password for IDS NXT lighthouse?

Your login details IDS NXT lighthouse are identical to those of your IDS customer account. To reset the password, use the link "Forgot password?" on the login page. With the new password you can then login to IDS NXT lighthouse again.

Do I have to cancel my IDS NXT lighthouse license?

No. If you have purchased the IDS NXT ocean design-in kit, you can access IDS NXT lighthouse free of charge for six months. There is no automatic renewal of the runtime. However, you can then purchase a license extension. Also after a license extension or reactivation your access expires automatically. For further information please read the document "General Terms of Use for IDS NXT lighthouse".

What is an ANN?

An ANN ("artificial neural network") refers to networks that are trained to solve certain tasks autonomously. In comparison to conventional, rule-based image processing, ANNs are suitable when objects vary greatly, are partly hidden, or are difficult to define using mathematical algorithms. With IDS NXT lighthouse, ANNs can also be trained by non-specialists.

Do the ANNs of IDS NXT lighthouse run on any camera?

The ANNs cannot be used with random cameras. IDS NXT lighthouse was specially developed to train neural networks for image processing tasks that can only be executed on IDS NXT industrial cameras. They are equipped with an AI core developed by IDS, which hardware-accelerates the execution of the inference. IDS NXT lighthouse provides the networks in a special format that can only be interpreted by the IDS NXT firmware.

What is inference or an inference camera?

Inference means "to conclude". In the context of artificial intelligence, inference refers to the ability to apply "knowledge" acquired through deep learning to new data. An inference camera is thus able to evaluate or categorize newly acquired image content through a pre-trained neural network independently of a PC.

Can I use my own neural networks on my IDS NXT camera?

Yes, this is possible, but they have to be converted into a suitable format. Neural networks on an IDS NXT camera are hardware accelerated by the AI-Core - thus they must be available in a special format. Neural networks trained with IDS NXT lighthouse are already available in the correct format and can be loaded directly onto the camera. If you already train with Keras (with TensorFlow Backend), the conversion of network architectures such as MobileNet is possible with little effort. IDS provides special tools on request. If you need more detailed information or assistance with the conversion, please contact IDS Sales.

Which file formats must the images have?

Currently, users can use images in GIF, JPG, PNG, BMP und TIFF formats to train an artificial neural network in IDS NXT lighthouse. Further information on uploading image data can be found in the IDS NXT lighthouse documentation (Chapter: Managing Data Records - Uploading Images)

Are my images saved with original resolution in IDS NXT lighthouse?

The uploaded image data is reduced to the maximum required image size before being saved. Your image data in IDS NXT lighthouse may therefore no longer be available in the original resolution.

Can I already label my image data before uploading?

If you already have pre-sorted images or if you want to label several images with a certain label "at the push of a button", simply save them together in one folder. All images in this folder can be uploaded to IDS NXT lighthouse with the desired label.

Can I use IDS NXT lighthouse without an IDS camera?

For the training of neural networks (CNN) with IDS NXT lighthouse only image material is required, no special camera. The resulting CNNs are optimized for IDS NXT industrial cameras and their deep ocean core. Therefore, they can only be used in conjunction with these camera models.

Which system requirements are necessary for IDS NXT lighthouse?

The system requirements for IDS NXT lighthouse, such as supported web browsers or if JavaScript must be active, can be found in the documentation (chapter: Requirements)

Can I test IDS NXT lighthouse free of charge?

All IDS customers can try IDS NXT lighthouse with unlimited functionality for one month. No sales contact is required to activate the free period.

All you have to do is log in to IDS NXT lighthouse with your IDS user account and accept the free period. No sales contact is required for this. The licence will be activated automatically.

Customers with an already running licence can also activate the free period once and thus extend the runtime by one month free of charge. (User menu ? My account ? "Licence" ? Extend term). The free period ends automatically after one month.

If you want to continue using IDS NXT lighthouse afterwards, you can purchase licence extensions with different durations in the IDS webstore.

What happens to my data if I stop using IDS NXT lighthouse?

According to the terms of use ( Section 4) and in compliance with the current "European Data Protection Regulation", all personal data (e.g. projects, images or trained networks) are automatically deleted completely and irreversibly four weeks after the end of the user contract or the expiry of a valid licence.

However, you can manually create backups using the export function, which you can then use/import again later.

Can projects and data sets be shared between two IDS NXT lighthouse accounts hosted on different cloud services?

No, collaborative sharing of image datasets and training projects is only possible if both accounts work with the same cloud service.

Why can I see records in my IDS NXT lighthouse account that do not belong to me?

These data sets are provided as examples to make it easier to get started and to gain initial experience. They can also simply be deleted and are no longer available afterwards.

How should I label my data to achieve the desired result for my use case?

Simply drag ROIs (boxes) around the desired inspection areas. These should be as precise as possible, without borders, and should not be less than 1/10 of the size of the overall image. If your desired object is smaller, larger images of the area to be inspected/found should be taken. Then select in the training project whether you want to inspect/classify the areas or find/detect them in the image.

You can get more information on the procedure for CNN training or labelling image data in the following videos:

 

 

Do my login data work in the IDS NXT lighthouse cloud service "Microsoft Azure" as well as in "AWS"?

No, your login is only valid for the cloud service you chose when you registered for the first time. It is also not possible to change the cloud service afterwards.

An attempted login to the wrong cloud service will be recognised by IDS NXT lighthouse and you will receive a notification with information for the correct login.

Are there differences between the IDS NXT lighthouse cloud services "Microsoft Azure" and "AWS"?

No, for you as a user of IDS NXT lighthouse, the interface, functionality, performance and licence costs are identical. In both cloud services, you always work with the latest software version.

Both cloud platforms work under strict compliance requirements and a number of ISO standards, which means that your data is very secure.

It remains entirely your decision who you may and wish to entrust your data to.

Additional information on the use of IDS NXT lighthouse with the two hosting providers can be found in our terms of use.

Can I transfer my data from AWS to Microsoft AZURE?

It is currently not possible to directly move your IDS NXT lighthouse account together with your data during the term of a valid licence.

However, you can re-register with the same e-mail address in one of the two cloud services after the expiry of a current licence and the subsequent 4-week period after which your data will be deleted completely and irretrievably (see terms of use, section 4).

If you have previously created backups of your data (e.g. projects, images or trained networks) using the export function, you can import and use them again after re-registration.

If you need further information or support with this process, please contact IDS Sales.

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