Budget-priced embedded vision solutions with single-board computer Raspberry Pi 2

03 Jun 2015

From now on, IDS offers a new driver software to connect its USB and GigE industrial cameras with brand-new single-board computer Raspberry Pi 2. Especially when combined with simple board-level cameras, this is a budget-priced option for embedded vision solutions – such as process monitoring, kiosk systems or ITS – to bring it quickly to the market. The Linux driver is available for free and can be found in the download section on the website of IDS (www.ids-imaging.com).

In February 2015, Raspberry Pi 2 was presented as the revised successor of the popular Raspberry Pi 1. With a more powerful CPU - 900 MHz quad-core instead of 700 MHz single-core processor - and twice as much memory developers have significantly more power for imaging applications. The ARM Cortex-A7 quad-core CPU can take control of an application and support machine vision tasks. As an example, the use of machine vision software HALCON in combination with IDS cameras and Raspberry Pi 2 is suitable to identify fonts or barcodes.

The entire range of USB 2.0 industrial cameras and GigE cameras from IDS can be operated on Raspberry Pi 2 with the new driver.

The Raspberry Pi 2 combined with board-level cameras from IDS or USB mini camera uEye XS is a perfect team. The first option, as the single-board computer also does, offers a budget-priced possibility for board-level cameras both with and without S-Mount lens (only board-level version). The second option offers many comfortable auto features as they can also be found in a consumer digicam. Thus, the CPU load of the single-board computer can be significantly reduced and the captured images can be easily processed.

The UVC board-level cameras from IDS can be used on the Raspberry Pi 2 without the need of a driver. The Universal Video Class compliant industrial cameras are simply connected to the USB port of the single-board computer, and then the images can be viewed e.g. with VLC player for Linux or GUVCView.

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