An Open Digital Camera Amnon Dekel Embedded Computing

An Open Digital Camera Amnon Dekel Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005)

Does an Open Digital Camera Exist? • Digita? – Partially open, but has disappeared off the map [Why? ] • g. Photo? – Just interfacing with cameras Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 2

Why an open Camera? • Research is stifled as a result of proprietary technologies • New ideas are hard to explore and test – E. g. the Refocusable camera • Research is Expensive Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 3

Expensive! Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 4

What is an Open Camera? • What Technologies? • What Hardware? • What Software? Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 5

Technologies • • • Sensors Image Processing and Recognition Communications Display General Computing Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 6

Hardware • Sensors – Imaging – Motion – Location – More? • DSP(s) • Controller • CPU • Display(s) • • GPU? Audio Processor Memory Communications Interfaces – IP, 802. 11, Cellular? – Wired and Wireless interfaces • More? Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 7

Software • • • Open OS Image Processing and Recognition Audio Processing and Playback Image compression (+ raw) Video Codec(s) On Board Server On Board Editor/Debugger Open SDK Hardware Programmer/Debugger Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 8

How to make this happen? • • • Research the hardware and software needed for the project Acquire/Develop the hardware needed Develop a hardware platform Develop an open software platform Develop novel applications over this platform. Add hardware elements as needed to the platform Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 9

Yeah- lets be realistic! • OK- until you get your $1 M grant, what can you do? • Low Cost Open camera: Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 10

Low Cost Open Camera 1. Take a box Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 11

Low Cost Open Camera 2. Take a web cam Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 12

Low Cost Open Camera 3. Take small laptop (with built in wireless ) Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 13

Low Cost Open Camera • Voila! • Ahem… Why do this? Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 14

Low Cost Open Camera • The Open Box Camera is useful because: – Test real world scenarios Today – Explore interesting applications and technologies Today without waiting for the hardware dev environments to catch up – Low Risk: Lets you prove to yourself that there are interesting problems to solve or explore without spending too much money on it in the process Embedded Computing Seminar (fall 2005) 15