Sensors feature high resolution
Legend 544 and 544C CCD SmartImage sensors provide 1280 x 1024-pixel resolution and a high-speed Hitachi SH4 processor. The 544C sensor can also perform color recognition. Built-in Ethernet connectivity plugs the sensors into an existing network for real-time data transfer and remote diagnostics from any Internet connection. Both sensors detect microscopic pinholes, stains, streaks, scratches, wrinkles, pits, bubbles and tears. Applications cover inspections of materials such as semiconductors, plastics, glass, paper, and metals. Included are free training, local support, and FrameWork 2.4 machine-vision software. DVT Corp., Norcross, GA; (770) 449-4960.
Smart board acts as a system
Neuro-Sight Embedded 3 x 4-in. board is a self-contained system that can acquire video images, recognize known objects in the images, and output the results. It comes with a color CMOS sensor, ZISC-based neural network for pattern learning and recognition, a 150k-gate FPGA for programming vision applications, a 4-Mbit Flash EPROM, and two 512k x 8-bit SRAMs. Key features include 352 x 288-pixel resolution, network of 156 neurons, memory bank, RS-232 connector, and 24 I/O lines. The board integrates into a stand-alone smart camera, but it can be interfaced to a PC serial or parallel port for configuring the FPGA and loading a recognition engine into the neural network. The FPGA can be programmed to perform image acquisition control, on-the-fly pixel processing, feature extractions, and communications with the neural network and the I/O lines. General Vision, Petaluma, CA 94952; (707) 765-6150.
Software helps sensors
CapInspect and LabelInspect package inspection software support the company's In-Sight vision sensors. They target inspection tasks in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. CapInspect checks container caps for, skew, height, presence/absence, and container fill level. LabelInspect checks package labels for presence/absence, measures label position, and verifies logos, decorations, and other label features. Show-and-Go graphical user interface, common to all applications, enables users to train package features by drawing a box around the area to be inspected and clicking a toolbar button. Menu-driven wizards guide users step by step by setting up all aspects of the application. In production mode, users can view a live image display of inspections as they occur with running pass/fail results and statistical process information. Library of general-purpose In-Sight vision tools is available. Cognex Corp., Natick, MA 01760; (508) 650-3000.
Software is upgraded
Windows-based Sherlock 6.1 software-development suite now supports the company's PC-CamLink digital PCI frame grabber. It adds the ability to include in-line Visual Basic Script code, which allows user-defined computations and access to automation servers like Excel. For linescan cameras, it accommodates applications of variable length frames, which reduces acquisition times in applications looking at different sized moving objects. New algorithms include Interleaved 2 of 5 barcode and perspective calibration. Hundreds of image-processing, image-analysis, and machine-vision functions are supplied. Adaptive pattern-matching functions support search, OCR, and barcode readings. Custom DLLs can be accommodated. Coreco Imaging, Bedford, MA 01730; (781) 275-2700.
Variable-scan frame grabber DT3162 variable-scan monochrome frame grabber provides up to a 40-MHz acquisition rate, a 10-bit A/D converter, and an autocalibrate feature that allows on-site recalibration using an on-board video signal. It works with RS-170/CCIR, slow-scan, large-format, and progressive-scan cameras. Connected to the PCI bus, the frame grabber processes data from 120 to 133 Mbytes/s. An optional camera-interface module aids connection to a camera, triggering device, or external clock signal via a DIN rail-mountable enclosure. A camera/strobe timing control operates with asynchronous reset cameras. A supplied Imaging Omni compact disk contains drivers, tools, and documentation. Data Translation Inc., Marlboro, MA 01752; (508) 481-3700.
Camera sees ultraviolet XE-EU50 analog, black-and-white 1/2-in. CCD video camera offers near-ultraviolet sensitivity over a 300- to 420-nm range to capture small defects. It measures 29 x 29 x 32 mm and weighs 50 g. The HAD-based interline-transfer sensor provides 768 x 494 effective pixels, a horizontal resolution of 570 lines, and a 60-dB signal-to-noise ratio. Other features include external camera controls, electronic shutter with asynchronous reset, and a C lens mount. Sony Electronics Inc., Park Ridge, NJ 07656; (800) 686-7669.
Converter switches to FireWire DFG/1394-1 video-to-FireWire converter is a portable module for mobile imaging. It measures 95 x 57 x 33 mm, weighs 100 g, and can be interfaced to notebook computers, PCs, medical equipment, and digital cameras. A software developer kit is included. Uncompressed video can be displayed in real time and streamed as AVI to a hard drive. The converter handles 768 x 576-pixel resolution at 50 Hz (PAL/CCIR) or 640 x 480-pixel resolution at 60 Hz (NTSC/RS-170). It accepts 2x composite or 1x Y/C (S-VHS) video input and outputs via 2x IEEE-1394 1995/1394a, 6-pin, 400-Mbit/s ports. Available color formats cover YUV 4:2:2, 4:1:1, RGB32, RGB24, and RGB8. The Imaging Source, Charlotte, NC 28204; (877) 462-4772.
Dome camera surveys WV-CS854A unitized dome camera provides 768 x 494-pixel resolution to deliver 480 lines of color resolution and 570 lines of black-and-white resolution. Minimum illumination is 1 lux for color images and 0.06 lux for black-and-white images. Features include 180° tilting, patrol learn function, digital motion detector, alarm output, and multiple protocol compatibility. Panasonic Security Systems Group, Secaucus, NJ; (877) 733-3689.
Software aids frame grabbers LV-SDS Leutron Vision software-development suite, revision 1.93, controls the company's line of frame grabbers. It incorporates Orchid, a library based on ActiveX and OCX tools, to develop applications under Visual Basic and all COM-compatible software. Orchid can be accessed by C/C++ function calls. Camera editor tool controls asynchronous reset parameters when defining camera connections to a frame grabber. The suite is also a source of development tools for PicPort and PicProdigy frame grabbers. It includes Daisy, Daisy Real-Time Application Library, Video for Windows driver, and Twain driver. The suite runs under Windows 9x/NT/2000/Embedded and Linux (Intel based). Leutrek Vision Inc., Burlington, MA 01803; (781) 238-0213.
Cameras use CMOS sensors Silicon Video 2112 and 2112C are 10-bit CMOS monochrome and 10-bit Bayer pattern color CMOS cameras, respectively. They both come with a 2-m interface cable, PIXCI D2X imaging board, and XCAP Lite imaging program. Programmable pixel clocks provide a range of capture resolutions and frame rates; they provide a resolution of 1288 x 1032 pixels at 0.5 frame/s using a 1-MHz clock, a resolution of 1288 x 1032 pixels at 26 frames/s using a 46-MHz clock, or a resolution of 320 x 258 pixels at 102 frames/s at 16 MHz or 291 frames/s at 46 MHz. Key features include a camera control menu in software to select pixel clock frequency, integration/exposure timing, decimation, and trigger control. EPIX Inc., Buffalo Grove, IL 60089; (847) 465-1818.
Camera adds compression VN-C30U surveillance and remote imaging camera serves network applications with both MPEG-1 and JPEG compression. It combines an f/1.4 lens, a 15x optical zoom and 360-degree remote pan and 90-degree tilt mechanism, and a 380,000-pixel CCD. Minimum illumination is 2.5 lux. Network interfacing uses Ethernet 100Base-TX/10Base-T. With an assigned IP address, the camera can be connected to and controlled from an existing network. It can be switched between MPEG-1 for smooth moving images and high-resolution JPEG still images. Ten preset camera positions let users register preference settings such as camera angle and zoom ratio. JVC Professional Products Co., Wayne, NJ 07470; (800) 582-5825.
Card adapts FireWire TFC-100 is an IEEE-1394 (FireWire) adapter card for PCI interfaces. It adds two 4-pin IEEE-1394 ports and one 6-pin port (includes power) via the PCI bus. It supports 32-bit bus mastering and operating speeds of 100, 200, and 400 Mbits/s. The card is compatible with all IEEE-1394a devices and backward compatible with IEEE-1394-1995 devices. Software is included for capturing still images from digital video cameras. Quatech Inc., Akron, OH 44311; (800) 553-1170.
CCD camera offers dual speeds TELI CS8550D camera measures 29 x 29 x 50 mm and weighs 50 g. It comes with a 1/3-in. progressive-scan IT-CCD sensor that provides 648 x 484-pixel resolution. In noninterlace mode the camera delivers 60 full frames/s. In partial-scan mode the camera can output a part of the image (half or quarter). Features include a manual eight-step shutter (1/60 or 1/120 s up to 1/20 000 s), external synchronization (HD/VD), and asynchronous/synchronization (restart / reset or random-trigger shutter). Exposure can be controlled by a trigger signal in restart/nonrestart mode; long time exposures are available in multiple shutter mode (trigger and asynchronous VD). New Electronic Technology GmbH, 86923 Finning, Germany; +49 (0) 8806 9234-0.
