Thing Commander provides industrial automation solutions that turn ordinary cameras into smart sensors through its CamThing™ platform. By processing video locally, CamThing™ detects motion, objects, personnel, or process events and outputs data via Modbus or I/O signals, enabling operators and machines to act on real‑time insights without requiring network connectivity. The system supports both standalone use and integration with existing automation equipment.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Industrial sites often rely on separate, expensive sensors or complex PLC programming to monitor the presence of people, vehicles, and unsafe conditions, leading to high installation costs and limited flexibility. Traditional solutions may also require constant network connectivity, making deployment in remote or hazardous environments difficult.
Solution
Thing Commander’s CamThing™ platform turns any standard digital camera into a smart sensor that processes video locally to detect motion, objects, personnel, and process anomalies. The system generates real‑time event data that can be output directly to PLCs, Modbus I/O, or other controllers without needing a network connection. By leveraging on‑device computer vision, CamThing™ provides a low‑cost, easily deployable detection solution that integrates seamlessly with existing industrial automation workflows. The platform supports both standalone operation for simple trigger actions and integration with broader control systems for complex automation scenarios.
Target Audience
Primary customers are industrial automation engineers and plant operators in sectors such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, and manufacturing who need cost‑effective, reliable detection of safety and operational events.
Features
- Local video processing on the camera edge eliminates the need for continuous network connectivity
- Compatibility with any digital camera, allowing reuse of existing hardware assets
- Configurable detection of motion, specific objects, personnel, and custom process events
- Direct output options including Modbus registers, digital I/O, and controller signal changes
- Standalone mode for simple trigger actions and integration mode for coordinated multi‑sensor systems
- Designed for oil‑and‑gas and other harsh industrial environments with rugged deployment options