AUGUST 15--Sony Electronics (www.sony.com/smart) and National Instruments (Austin, TX, USA; www.ni.com) announced that the Sony XCI-SX1 smart camera under the Microsoft Windows XPe operating system is compatible with National Instruments NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection (AI) software. By combining the simplicity and reliability of the Sony smart camera with the ease of use of the NI Vision Builder AI machine-vision software, engineers can configure, benchmark, and deploy complete machine-vision applications without any required programming.
The Sony camera, coupled with NI Vision Builder AI software, gives system integrators and end users the ability to create high-performance systems that address specific needs across a broad spectrum of industries and applications. "The combination of NI Vision Builder AI software with Sony's smart camera provides the industry with a robust, cost-effective machine-vision solution that is highly customizable without the effort and expense of custom coding," said Kevin Schultz, National Instruments' director of product strategy.
Vision Builder AI is a configurable machine-vision software package that requires no programming and includes optimized drivers and utilities that acquire, analyze, and display images. Engineers can configure more than 100 powerful machine-vision tools including pattern matching, optical character recognition, and particle analysis and can communicate triggering and inspection results directly to industrial devices over the Sony camera's connectors through digital I/O and Ethernet protocols.
The Sony camera comes bundled with a demonstration CD that includes a copy of Vision Builder AI software, which users can then license with the proper NI activation code. It is built around Sony's 1/2-in. SXGA progressive-scan B&W CCD and operates at 15 frames/s at SXGA resolution and 34 frames/s at VGA. Similar to a PC, the camera is equipped with a high-performance X86 processor running a built-in Windows XPe operating system. A high-speed 1-Gbyte CompactFlash card serves as storage for the operating system with ample space for the Vision Builder AI application software. A fast 256-Mbyte DDR SDRAM module provides ample volatile memory for high-performance throughout.
The Sony XCI-V3 model, a 1/3-in. VGA PS B/W camera that operates at 60 frames/s, is planned for the fall. The new camera also will be available with a copy of NI Vision Builder AI software, which can be licensed from NI.
