NI Smart Cameras for Machine Vision
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Overview
This page gives a brief introduction to the NI Smart Camera product family. Smart cameras are all-in-one solutions for machine vision that not only acquire images but also process them on the camera.
Visit the following pages to purchase these cameras:
NI 1742
NI 1744
NI 1762
NI 1764
Table of Contents
The NI Smart Camera Family
For more than 10 years, National Instruments has been a leader in machine vision with a wide range of hardware products, including the NI Compact Vision System for embedded image processing and frame grabbers for acquiring images from thousands of different cameras. National Instruments is expanding its vision hardware product offering with the NI Smart Camera. The NI 17XX series of smart cameras feature image acquisition and processing, as well as I/O, directly on the camera to create an all-in-one embedded device ideal for automated inspection applications.
A smart camera is a combination of an image sensor and a high-performance processor that returns inspection results instead of images. While a typical industrial camera acquires and transmits images through a standard camera bus, such as Camera Link or IEEE 1394, to a host PC or vision system that processes the images, a smart camera performs all of these operations directly on the camera.
NI Smart Cameras are ideally suited for industrial vision applications including packaging inspection, assembly verification, 1D and 2D code reading, and motion guidance. NI Smart Cameras reduce cost and time of inspection by processing images on the camera with a PowerPC processor capable of running NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection (AI) software, which is included with the NI Smart Cameras, or the NI LabVIEW Real-Time module and the entire suite of NI vision algorithms.
Specifications of the NI Smart Cameras
With the combination of a high-performance PowerPC processor, a high-quality charge-coupled device (CCD) image sensor, and the NI vision software tools, users can easily create distributed machine vision systems that transmit inspection results instead of raw images. NI Smart Cameras are designed to tightly integrate with the NI family of programmable automation controllers and human machine interfaces. Now a single LabVIEW Project can contain NI Smart Camera inspection VIs along with code for motion control, data acquisition, and operator interfaces.
The first two cameras in the NI Smart Camera family (the NI 1722 and the NI 1742) were released in December of 2007. This year National Instruments released three new additions to the NI Smart Camera family, the NI 1744, NI 1762, and NI 1764.
All of the current NI Smart Cameras contain monochrome image sensors. All of the models ending in a ‘2’ contain a VGA (640x480) resolution CCD image sensor. The models ending in a ‘4’ contain an SXGA (1280x1024) resolution image sensor (4x the resolution of the 17X2 cameras).
On Board Processing
Each of these smart cameras contains a PowerPC processor. The NI 1722 contains a 400 MHz version of the PowerPC, while all of the other models have a 533 MHz version. For applications that include pattern matching, data matrix code reading, or optical character recognition, the NI 1762 and the NI 1764 have an added 720 MHz TI DSP coprocessor. This coprocessor automatically handles these three algorithms with up to a 4x performance increase over the models without the coprocessor. Please see the table below.
I/O on the NI Smart Cameras
The NI Smart Cameras also have onboard industrial I/O. Each of the cameras has two optoisolated digital inputs and two optoisolated digital outputs. These are 24V I/O lines designed for communication and control in industrial environments. These outputs are capable of generating pulse trains, expanding their ability beyond simple actuator control. One example of more advanced control you can perform with these cameras is simple stepper motor control, which can be done by sending 'step' out on one of the outputs, and 'direction' out on the other.
Every NI Smart Camera also includes dual gigabit Ethernet ports for communication to the local network and expansion I/O. These Ethernet ports also have support for Modbus TCP for communication to PLCs. For customers needing a serial interface, the NI Smart Cameras all feature an RS-232 port with support for Modbus as well. The NI Smart Cameras also have support for quadrature encoders for connectivity to linear and rotary drive based systems (this feature not available on the NI 1722).
Direct Drive Lighting
The direct-drive lighting controller found on most models of the NI Smart Camera (excluding the NI 1722) is a very useful feature that can greatly decrease system cost and complexity. This controller allows you to source out up to 500mA of DC current or up to 1A strobed current directly from the smart camera out to a current-driven LED light head. This allows you to control lighting directly from the image acquisition API within the NI vision software, as well as removing the necessity for an external strobe controller.
For those users that require current or timing for lighting beyond what can be produced from the NI Smart Camera, there is also a 5v and 24V strobe output available on all NI Smart Cameras that can be used to control an external lighting controller.
Features of the NI Smart Camera Family
- High quality CCD image sensors from Sony
- Powerful embedded processors
- Built-in isolated industrial digital I/O
- Dual Gigabit Ethernet ports with Modbus TCP support
- An RS-232 port with support for Modbus
- Vision Builder AI development software
- Quadrature encoder support to synchronize timing in inspections with linear and rotary drive systems*
- Built-in direct drive controller for LED lighting*
*These two features are not found on the NI 1722
For more information, watch the brief Out of Box Video, or visit ni.com/smartcamera.
Model Pages for NI Smart Cameras:
NI 1722
NI 1742
NI 1744
NI 1762
NI 1764
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Reader Comments | Submit a comment »
ambient light control
Do your smart cameras have take care
of ambient light variances??
Cameras we have worked with in the
past are too susceptible to changes in
ambient conditions.
Maybe using a photovoltaic cell on the
camera it could adjust it's light on the
object?
Can I have royalties for this idea if you
are not already using a similar solution:)
John
- John Shaw, Halla Climate Control. jshaw@halla.on.ca - Oct 17, 2007
Electrical Optics
What is NI Doing in Smart Cameras
Vision? How about sharing your work
along these lines. And together we can
team-up to create improved Human-
vision. The technology already
exsists,but the concept and design have
not come together to create the end
results.
- douglas_lenard@yahoo.com - Sep 28, 2007
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