As companies automate their inspection systems to speed up production they are looking for innovative and efficient ways to ensure faulty products won't be sent to consumers.

The HueView, developed by the Value Engineering Alliance, can be used to inspect meats, fruits, vegetables, cheeses and baked goods. It can also be used to inspect packaging for defects.

HueView can also be used to sort or classify goods and to monitor product quality on the production line.

The machine works by using a reference example of an ideal product to cross-reference products based on colour, pattern, size and texture specifications.

The ability to decipher slight differences in a product's pattern and texture is an improvement on detection devices that measure only in size and color.

It is also an improvement on two-dimensional imagers that cannot deal with variable, non-flat dimensions, claim its makers.

The HueView detects faults or sorts products using images acquired through a sensor camera.

The Value Engineering Alliance is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company specializes in automated detection machines used in manufacturing.