This will enable the delivery of containerised software services from the cloud such as Google Cloud Visual Inspection AI service, providing a validated solution for secure, video-based quality inspection in industrial and energy facilities.
Through this partnership, the new solution enables easy deployment of a) real-time image capturing on devices such as cameras on manufacturing plant floors and b) inference models built by Google Cloud Visual Inspection AI, that generate the insights and c) supervisory controller that connects to the Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and translates insights into action. In addition, Lynx’s technology is also able to bring immutable isolation and non-bypassable security to give plant or facility managers confidence the solution meets the OT security requirements.
The solution’s use of Google Anthos bare metal support means that an entire Kubernetes cluster can now be run locally in as little as one hardware system at the edge, with Lynx enabled virtual air gapping providing isolation between the different parts of the system.
Previously, the merging of operational technology (OT) and IT worlds - training AI and machine learning models in the cloud and deploying cloud-based workloads at the edge - posed security challenges in mission-critical industrial environments.
Lynx is now able to ensure the three functions - image capture (camera), insight via inference engine (Google Anthos) and the action with a supervisory controller - are completely sandboxed with the option of secure one-way (data diode) connections between them.
Commenting Pavan Singh, Vice President of Product Management at Lynx said, “With the new solution we’re jointly bringing to market, any containerised service can now be deployed to the mission critical edge without compromising security or performance. This partnership also marks an important step in our growing industrial ecosystem.”
For industrial and energy companies this video-based quality system will have a significant role in enhancing performance and quality of output, while mitigating security risks. Through efficient visual inspection defects can be reduced by up to 10x, defective parts prevented from being shipped out, and insights can be gleaned into the cause of any defects to optimize processes
The solution is run on an Advantech MIC770, however, the LYNX MOSA.ic solution can also run on various Intel and ARM processors - this flexibility means that various types of solution can have local/on-prem management while fully leveraging the benefits of cloud solutions.
