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Low Cost Video Usage

jonititan

United Kingdom

Arduino projects to convert PAL & NTSC Video to something that can be used in a project exist.

http://homepage.mac.com/dave_chatting/arduinoeyeshield/

However is there any way to utilise the ubiquitous Webcam in a project?

These would provide a low cost video sensor if they could be used in some way.

Replies

jonititan

United Kingdom

LStacey

United Kingdom

1 year ago

Thanks!

jonititan

United Kingdom

1 year ago

I've found a paper that details using a CMOS and an FPGA to make an optic FLow sensor.

The camera is the MT9M001 from Micron and the FPGA is a Xilinx Spartan-3E.

 

FPGA Implementation of an Optic Flow Sensor using the Image Interpolation Algorithm

M.A.Garratt A.J.Lambert T.Guillemette

University of New South Wales, Australia

Australasian Conference on Robotics and Automation (ACRA), December 2-4, 2009, Sydney, Australia

LStacey

United Kingdom

1 year ago

Is the paper on the web?  Do you have a link?

jonititan

United Kingdom

1 year ago

Perhaps some processing to create the optic flow signals which could then be passed to the Arduino or other controller.

LStacey

United Kingdom

1 year ago

More info here:

http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1213366987

Not looking too bright.

jonititan

United Kingdom

1 year ago

Perhaps I'm misunderstanding how a webcam works.

I had assumed that there would be a chip in there capturing the video and another chip controlling the usage and controlling how the signal is sent over USB.

I expected large amounts of data transfer. 

I was hoping that because the data could be used to create an optic flow sensor.

Another usage would be horizon sensing for a UAV.

LStacey

United Kingdom

1 year ago

I have no idea actually... They are a bit of a mystery.  All I do know is that if it was easy, the Linux community wouldn't make so much noise about it being virtually impossible to get some webcams to work.

LStacey

United Kingdom

1 year ago

Hmm.  Tricky one...  The biggest problem with webcams is that they require drivers and not many manufacturers of said devices give away the information required to homebrew such things.

I'll have a dig around to see what info I can find.  I'm thinking that Linux related forums might be the best place to look for clues as Linux users often get no choice but to use homebrew drivers.