Baumer announced the series production of LX VisualApplets cameras with integrated image preprocessing. These cameras are capable of image preprocessing in the camera’s FPGA without the need for expensive and complex VHDL programming. They utilize the graphical programming environment VisualApplets by Silicon Software, thanks to which even non-expert users without extensive programming experience are able to define complex algorithms quickly, flexibly and tailored to their application. In this way LX VisualApplets cameras allow the user to efficiently solve tasks which previously required customer-specific product developments or VisualApplets with a frame grabber.

Camera-based image preprocessing will enhance application performance, speed up processing-intensive algorithms by running them straight in the FPGA and improve stability and precision of image evaluation by using more complex algorithms. The emphases of image preprocessing are on improved image quality (e.g. noise reduction by image averaging), reduced amount of data (e.g. profile data generated by laser triangulation) or process monitoring tasks (e.g. laser welding process control). Thanks to image preprocessing, the volume of data to be transmitted and processed can be reduced and that the PC-based image processing system is relived of the need perform these algorithms, freeing considerable processor power. This allows the use of an interface without a frame grabber. Furthermore the number of system computers can be reduced.

The new LX VisualApplets cameras integrate global shutter CMOS sensors by CMOSIS and a GigE Vision compliant interface. This ensures high sensitivity and excellent image quality coupled with quick and easy system integration. The cameras are available with 4, 12 and 20 megapixel resolutions and up to 74 frames per second sensor speed.

Baumer | www.baumer.com