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Canada-based startup Dataperformers targets AI-powered visual inspection solutions

DIGITIMES staff

Based in Montreal, Quebec, one of Canada's three artificial intelligence (AI) innovation clusters that host world-leading AI technology firms and talent, startup Dataperformers endeavors to incorporate AI technologies into the day-to-day operations of the manufacturing industry. The Dataperformers team specializing in deep learning and computer vision has decided to begin with end-to-end automated material and process defect inspection solutions with a focus on maximizing the corporation's ROI for its adoption of AI technologies so that Dataperformers' customers can reap the biggest AI benefits.

Dataperformers started out focusing on joint development projects entrusted by customers and has gained ground in aerospace and electronics applications. Transitioning to targeting automated inspection solutions, Dataperformers names its new product Macula AI. Featuring easy installation and usability, Macula AI does not require the customer to employ an AI expert to make use of the system. Under the circumstances that AI talent is hard to find, this lowers the barrier for customers to incorporate Dataperformers' AI solution. Furthermore, Macula AI only needs a small amount of data for AI model training and algorithm creation to achieve industry-grade precision. This is a compelling advantage that Dataperformers' AI solution offers to customers.

Macula AI has made significant progress in addressing challenges facing the manufacturing sector and engineering technologies. Successful use cases include the collaboration with Autodesk and Aisin Seiki, Japan's second-largest auto part supplier. Dataperformers recently began working with a disposable medical product manufacturer that seeks a perfect balance between product quality and production yield in view of its manufacturing process and brisk customer orders. As soon as it detects a defective product, Macula AI prompts the laser marking machine to mark the product. This allows the production line to keep operating uninterruptedly and the production equipment to keep churning out products at a high speed. The laser marking also accelerates the screening of defective products at the step of quality control sorting and inspection. Macula AI also includes an anomaly detection system that automatically notifies the site manager when discovering the product quality has started to deteriorate so that critical decisions can be made to stop unnecessary waste of materials.

In view of Taiwan's pivotal role in the global electronics manufacturing sector and semiconductor supply chain, Dataperformers entered into a partnership with Advantech at year-end 2020, from which an outstanding product portfolio combining software and hardware systems is created. Leveraging Macula AI's appealing features such as the detection of scratches, stains, pores and other surface defects, Dataperformers has also initiated the search for potential business opportunities in Taiwan. Macula AI's expansion in Taiwan targeting low latency automated inspection and quality control applications based on cloud and edge computing technologies, coupled with private network infrastructure, has made eye-opening achievements.

Canada-based startup Dataperformers CEO, Mehdi Merai

Canada-based startup Dataperformers CEO, Mehdi Merai