Sony europe's image sensing solutions division has extended its range of smart cameras with the launch of the XCI-V3 model, offering monochrome VGA (640 x 480) resolution at frame rates of 60fps. Combining an image sensor, frame grabber and on-board x86-compatible processor running Linux or Windows XPe, the new device enables cost-effective implementations of a wide range of inspection, machine vision and robot control applications.

Smart cameras are a fast-growing subdivision of the machine vision market, offering a flexible hardware platform for OEMs, systems integrators and end-users, running under familiar Windows XPe or Linux environments. Unlike conventional machine vision cameras, images captured by the XCI-V3 are processed within the camera, and the processed data is directly transmitted to a PC over a network. This allows fast, cost-effective development and implementation of a range of machine vision applications, using a common hardware infrastructure.

The XCI-V3 provides a direct PC monitor output and USB connector, and an integrated 10Base-T/100Base-TX interface for easy interconnection. It employs a 1/3-type progressive scan CCD and features binning and partial scan functions which can be used to cut the amount of image processing data that needs to be transmitted, or to deliver even higher effective frame rates of up to 300fps.

Users can employ the XCI-V3's built-in real-time 3 x 3 image pre-processing filter, for instance, to emphasise the edges of object of to change the contrast and hence enhance fine details. To allow the capture of images of fast-moving objects, the camera is equipped with an external trigger input and trigger delay function: a strobe adjustment utility is included to permit accurate timing of an external strobe light.