Industrial Multiple Camera Image Processing

[Gil Smith]

We want to capture images from 6 cameras simultaneously 640 * 480 monochrome

We want to convert the imagines into an array and perform a simple operation using an in-house VI at full frame (30f/s). The results (small resultant data) must be sent to a central computer.

1 use smart cameras:

What camera and system would you suggest. Would the Sony XC1 - SX1 be appropriate?

It appears that we can load a labview routine using Vision Builder on to the camera.

If so can we insert our in-house VI into the sony camera using Vision Builder?

2 Use dumb usb/firewire cameras:

Alternatively can we use firewire or usb cameras to a powerful computer? The application will be on mobile industrial equipment.

[Mike Ashe]

As a quick off the cuff example, I was involved with a project almost two years ago, where we used 5 Basler B&W Firewire cameras into a single CPU Dell computer and LabVIEW 7.1. We triggered the cameras off of a Hall sensor on a conveyor wheel to give 15 fps, but each image was then subdivided into 6 images and each of those images was processed with about 10 image functions to get the data we wanted, then output to digital out to run solenoids, then logged and archived in a local flat text database, then we provided some simple running statistics.

This ran just fine, in fact we had CPU idle time of over 50%, so I am pretty sure your application above should be doable, especially with the new core2 duo machines.

Good luck.