Last updated on April 18th, 2025 at 10:57 am

What is a “technology vignette”?

If you haven’t heard the term before, it’s OK — Georgia AIM’s Mobile Studio project invented it in conjunction with developing the Georgia AIM Mobile Studio. Now, through school visits, community events, and visits by the Georgia AIM Mobile Studio, organizations and members of the public are learning how AI can work in manufacturing in bite-sized examples.

Here are a few examples of the technology vignettes, as shown at an open house earlier this year. The vignettes were developed by Innovation Factory, a lab at the University of Georgia College of Engineering run by Dr. Beshoy Morkos and graduate students there. The open house featured technology vignette demonstrations, plus a visit and tours of the Georgia AIM Mobile studio.

3D Printing

This module is designed to be an introduction to fundamental components and concepts of material extrusion and fused deposition modeling (FDM). FDM represents one of the most prevalent forms of additive manufacturing and is the most common and cost-effective method of 3D printing. The main strength of FDM is its ability to allow users to create custom solutions for specific problems, as well as allow access to a large library and community of 3D models that already exist.

Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) allow users to immerse themselves in a virtual environment that accurately replicates real places. This module demonstrates how a virtual environment can be used to teach programming for AR/VR and show the testbed capabilities for AR/VR through various work cell configurations when integrated with AI. These technologies allow for immersive training and simulated experiences for manufacturing employees, play a role in streamlining the design and prototyping process through virtual modeling, and foster remote collaboration among teams by enabling real-time visualization of 3D models in shared virtual spaces.

Computer Vision

Computer vision is a branch of computing also referred to as image recognition. It is a software tool that enables machines to identify and locate objects within digital images, videos, or real-time camera feeds. In a manufacturing setting, object detection and computer vision can optimize production processes, improve product quality, and enhance workplace safety. This can be accomplished through the automation of defect detection, analysis of where those defects are introduced to the process, and monitor the movement of objects and people through the manufacturing environment by providing automatic alerts and system interruptions, if necessary.

Robots/Cobots

Robotics allows us to automate tasks, leading to increased efficiency and precision in industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics. Robotics is now more accessible and adaptable, allowing for the integration of collaborative robots (cobots) that can work alongside humans. These advancements also drive the incorporation of artificial intelligence and machine learning, enabling robots to make autonomous decisions and adapt to dynamic environments.

Internet of Things

Internet of things, or IoT, is a technology that brings together sensors, smart devices, and other equipment data into a single interconnected network, allowing them to interact with and act upon each other. By having all these sources of data transmitting information into a single unified space, it is possible and easier to collect, store, and act upon the information of the entire system. These technologies enable monitoring and controlling of devices and systems remotely through the network, as well as the automation of various applications, from smart homes to industrial processes. In an industrial setting, this technology can enable enhanced efficiency, predictive maintenance, better quality control, and smoother process automation.

Morkos says these vignettes were developed as examples of key technologies that have the capacity to transform manufacturing.

“These are technology families that we believe are key components of AI,” says Morkos. “Within these vignettes, we provide an introduction to the AI families and describe how they can support AI. We focus on presenting these technologies in a matter that’s welcoming and presentable.”