Depth sensing in embedded vision using e-con Systems’ 3D time of flight camera

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3D depth cameras play a significant role in enabling autonomous navigation in robots, tractors, forklifts, etc. DepthVista (e-con Systems’ 3D time of flight camera) comes with the ability to deliver both depth and RGB data in a single frame – making it possible to do obstacle detection and object recognition simultaneously. Learn the key features and target applications of DepthVista, and the top 6 reasons why it could be the perfect depth camera for your embedded vision application.

In recent years, depth sensing technologies have emerged as a popular technique to aid robots, tractors, remote patient monitoring systems, etc., with autonomous navigation and object detection. In the design of a 3D depth sensing camera, the accuracy of depth measurement is one of the most critical requirements. In addition, the ability to provide color (RGB) information for performing object recognition can be a game changer. With these in mind, e-con Systems – a leading embedded camera manufacturer and solutions provider – has designed a 3D time of flight camera called DepthVista.

This article discusses in detail the features and benefits of using DepthVista in embedded vision applications that rely on depth.

DepthVista – High Resolution 3D ToF Camera

DepthVista is a 3D depth camera based on the Time of Flight (ToF) technology. It is an RGBD camera housing the below camera modules:

• ToF depth camera with a depth sensor and dedicated depth processor for depth measurement.
• RGB camera with the AR0234CS global shutter CMOS sensor from onsemi^TM and a dedicated high performance Image Signal Processor (ISP) for object recognition.

DepthVista offers both depth information and RGB data in one frame. Its depth sensor streams a resolution of 640 x 480 @ 30 FPS and the color global shutter sensor streams HD and FHD @30 FPS.

The following figure shows the front view of DepthVista mounted on a tripod:

Top 6 reasons why you should consider DepthVista for your depth-based embedded vision application

Better 3D precision
With the high resolution depth sensing ability, DepthVista achieves precise 3D depth measurement in addition to offering high quality RGB images. The calibration of the 850nm high performance VCSEL diodes with sensor timing results in more 3D detail. Also, the calibration is perfectly carried out by merging the RGB frame with the depth data to enable object recognition using a single frame.

Compatibility with UVC standards
DepthVista is UVC compliant and will work with the standard drivers available with Windows and the Linux OS.

Low light performance
DepthVista uses a VCSEL of wavelength 850nm (in the NIR spectrum) which is safer for human eyes. It does not require ambient illumination for optimal performance and hence operates in low light or even in absolute darkness.

Computational load reduction
The new-age time of flight camera from e-con Systems provides ready-to-use depth data from the camera itself – thereby reducing the computational load on the host.

Multiple operational modes and scalable depth ranges
As mentioned before, DepthVista has the ability to deliver both depth and RGB data for obstacle detection and object recognition. Further, it comes with two operational modes – the far mode and the near mode. The depth ranges for these two modes are as follows:

• Far Mode: 1000 mm to 6500 mm
• Near Mode: 200 mm to 1200 mm

You can switch between the two modes based on your application requirements.

In addition to this, DepthVista supports nine data modes which are explained below:

Compact design
DepthVista is a compact depth camera as it is equipped with integral illumination next to the lens.

DepthVista – Best fit camera for AMRs

AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) such as warehouse robots, service robots, cleaning robots, and companion robots can effectively and efficiently perform navigation, path planning, obstacle detection, and object recognition using DepthVista. Also, the two operational modes make it suitable for a wide variety of use cases such as people detection (with the far mode) and quality inspection or volume measurement (with near mode).

Other targeted applications

• Robotic arms
• Autonomous guided vehicles
• People counting in Retail Analytics
• 3D Facial recognition based anti-spoofing devices
• Remote patient monitoring

To know more about the features and benefits of the product, please visit the DepthVista product page. Alternatively, you can get a quick overview of the product by watching the below video: 

To get all the queries related to the product answered, please visit the FAQ page.

The upcoming DepthVista models

1. DepthVista_MIPI_IRD – Compact sized ToF depth camera with MIPI interface. This camera board supports the NVIDIA® Jetson AGX Orin™/Xavier™ development kit.
2. DepthVista_USB_IRD – Compact sized and UVC compatible 3D ToF camera.

These models use VCSEL laser diodes that can operate in NIR range of either 850nm or 940nm for both indoor and outdoor environments as two product variants.

If you are interested in integrating embedded vision cameras into your products, kindly write to e-con Systems at [email protected]. You could also visit the Camera Selector to get a complete view of e-con Systems’ camera portfolio.

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