Getting Started with the AI Vision Sensor with VEX EXP – VEX Library

The AI Vision Sensor is an advanced sensor that allows your robot to see and interact with the world around it in ways that no other sensor can. The AI Vision Sensor captures visual information from a large field of view at high resolution, and is able to detect both two and three-dimensional objects.

The AI Vision Sensor expands on the capabilities of the other sensors in the EXP Kit, with a wider and deeper field of view, and the ability to detect specific colors and combinations of colors within it. It can also detect AprilTags and a group of pre-trained objects. The sensor can report a wealth of data about what it detects, so you can locate an object or location in space using sensor data.

VEX AI Vision Sensor seen from the side.

What can the AI Vision Sensor detect?

This sensor can be configured to identify Color Signatures from various sources, including solid-colored three-dimensional (3D) objects and printed two-dimensional (2D) images. Additionally, it has the capability to learn and recognize combinations of colors, or Color Codes. The AI Vision Sensor can also detect AprilTags and AI Classifications.

Color Signatures are specified colors that the AI Vision Sensor will detect. The sensor identifies the pixels of that configured color within the field of view and reports data about that area.

For more information on how to configure your AI Vision Sensor to detect specific colors, refer to Configuring Color Signatures with the AI Vision Sensor in VEXcode EXP.

AI Vision utility tracking two cubes, one blue on the left and one green on the right. The colors blue and green are added in the interface, and a color code of blue then green is added at the bottom. In the view window, the blue green sequence in the cubes is identified.

Color Codes are sequences of Color Signatures. They allow the AI Vision Sensor to identify and distinguish specific patterns of colored pixels.

For more information on how to create Color Codes, refer to Configuring Color Codes with the AI Vision Sensor in VEXcode EXP.

Three AprilTags are being tracked by the AI Vision utility. Each tag is identified, located, and outlined, indicating its tracking by the system. The AprilTag IDs in this example read 0, 9, and 3.

AprilTags are visual markers with specific patterns that the AI Vision Sensor can detect and identify.

For more information on AprilTags and how to enable their detection, refer to Using AprilTags with the AI Vision Sensor in VEXcode EXP.

Four objects are being tracked by the AI Vision utility, two balls and two rings. Each object is identified, located, and outlined, indicating its tracking by the system. The utility notes the object's shape and color, in this example there is a Red Ball, a Blue Ball, a Green Ring, and a Red Ring.

AI Classifications are specific objects that the AI Vision Sensor has been trained to be able to detect. These include VEX classroom objects, like Buckyballs and Rings, as well as competition game elements.

For more information on what AI Classifications can be detected by the AI Vision Sensor and how to enable their detection, refer to AI Classifications with the AI Vision Sensor in VEXcode EXP.

Getting Started with the AI Vision Sensor in Your Setting

Use the links below to help you as you are getting started with the AI Vision Sensor.

Connecting the AI Vision Sensor and Updating the Firmware
Open and run an Example Project in VEXcode EXP to see how the AI Vision Sensor could be used.
- To learn more about accessing Example Projects in VEXcode EXP, view one of the following articles – Blocks, Python, or C++.
Configure a Color Signature in the AI Vision Utility to use in a project.
- View this article to learn about configuring Color Signatures in VEXcode EXP.
Mount the AI Vision Sensor to your robot.
- View this article to learn more about how to mount the AI Vision Sensor and considerations for mounting positions on your robot.

Want to learn more?

Learn more about coding with the AI Vision Sensor with the articles in this section of the VEX Library.

For more information on the individual Blocks or text-commands for the AI Vision Sensor, visit api.vex.com.