Applied Sciences (Jun 2023)

A Comprehensive Framework for Industrial Sticker Information Recognition Using Advanced OCR and Object Detection Techniques

  • Gabriella Monteiro,
  • Leonardo Camelo,
  • Gustavo Aquino,
  • Rubens de A. Fernandes,
  • Raimundo Gomes,
  • André Printes,
  • Israel Torné,
  • Heitor Silva,
  • Jozias Oliveira,
  • Carlos Figueiredo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127320
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 12
p. 7320

Abstract

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Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), deep learning (DL), and computer vision have revolutionized various industrial processes through image classification and object detection. State-of-the-art Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and object detection (OD) technologies, such as YOLO and PaddleOCR, have emerged as powerful solutions for addressing challenges in recognizing textual and non-textual information on printed stickers. However, a well-established framework integrating these cutting-edge technologies for industrial applications still needs to be discovered. In this paper, we propose an innovative framework that combines advanced OCR and OD techniques to automate visual inspection processes in an industrial context. Our primary contribution is a comprehensive framework adept at detecting and recognizing textual and non-textual information on printed stickers within a company, harnessing the latest AI tools and technologies for sticker information recognition. Our experiments reveal an overall macro accuracy of 0.88 for sticker OCR across three distinct patterns. Furthermore, the proposed system goes beyond traditional Printed Character Recognition (PCR) by extracting supplementary information, such as barcodes and QR codes present in the image, significantly streamlining industrial workflows and minimizing manual labor demands.

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