Smart camera

About: Smart camera is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5571 publications have been published within this topic receiving 93054 citations. The topic is also known as: intelligent camera.

Real-time video object generation for smart cameras

Abstract: An apparatus and method for video object generation and selective encoding is provided. The apparatus includes a detection module for detecting a first object in at least one image frame of a series of image frames; a tracking module for tracking the first object in successive image frames and segmenting the first object from a background, the background being a second object; and an encoder for encoding the first and second objects to be transmitted to a receiver, wherein the first object is compressed at a high compression rate and the second object is compressed at a low compression rate. The receiver merges the first and second object to form a composite image frame. The method provides for detecting, tracking and segmenting one or more objects, such as a face, from a background to be encoded at the same or different compression rates to conserve bandwidth.

Direct sight imaging spectrograph: a unique add-on component brings spectral imaging to industrial applications

Abstract: Imaging spectrometry has mainly been a research tool, employing laboratory spectrographs and scientific cameras. This paper describes an add-on imaging spectrograph that provides a unique combination of high quality image in a small, rugged, industrial, easy-to-use component. The spectrograph is based on a prism/grating/prism (PGP) dispersing element which provides straight optical axis, astigmatism free image and polarization independent throughput. A volume holographic transmission grating is used for high efficiency (up to 70%). The tubular optomechanical construction of the spectrograph is stable and small, D30 x L110 mm with F/2.8 numerical aperture and 2/3 inch image size. Equipped with C-mounts, the spectrograph plugs between lens and area camera, converting the camera to a spectral line imaging system. The spectrograph allows the utilization of rapidly developing monochrome camera techniques, like high speed digital cameras, smart cameras and CMOS sensors, in color and spectral analytical applications. It is the first component available for upgrading existing industrial monochrome vision systems with color/spectral capability without the need to change the basic platform hardware and software. The spectrograph brings the accuracy of spectral colorimetry to industrial vision and overcomes the complex calibration that is needed when an RGB color camera is applied to colorimetric applications. Other applications include NIR imaging (up to 2500 nm), spectral microscopy, multichannel fiberoptics spectrometry and remote sensing.

Positioning and Orientation in Indoor Environments Using Camera Phones

Abstract: Location technologies provide a way to associate information to a user's location. The authors developed a system that processes a cell-phone camera image and matches detected landmarks from the image to a building. The system calculates camera location and dynamically overlays information directly on the cell phone image.

Traffic surveillance system

Abstract: A machine vision system for detecting and recognizing objects. The system includes a camera which forms three different images of the object using different portions of the electromagnetic spectrum and uses these different images depending on the time of day and weather conditions. The machine vision system also enables an operator to select zones within the camera's field of view than may be of any size or shape. The machine vision system only detects objects in the specified zones. The vision system provides signals to a traffic light controller to provide vehicle or object presence indications for traffic signal sequencing purposes. The vision system can simply detect an object or optionally can pattern match for specific objects.

Computational Cameras: Convergence of Optics and Processing

Abstract: A computational camera uses a combination of optics and processing to produce images that cannot be captured with traditional cameras. In the last decade, computational imaging has emerged as a vibrant field of research. A wide variety of computational cameras has been demonstrated to encode more useful visual information in the captured images, as compared with conventional cameras. In this paper, we survey computational cameras from two perspectives. First, we present a taxonomy of computational camera designs according to the coding approaches, including object side coding, pupil plane coding, sensor side coding, illumination coding, camera arrays and clusters, and unconventional imaging systems. Second, we use the abstract notion of light field representation as a general tool to describe computational camera designs, where each camera can be formulated as a projection of a high-dimensional light field to a 2-D image sensor. We show how individual optical devices transform light fields and use these transforms to illustrate how different computational camera designs (collections of optical devices) capture and encode useful visual information.