JeVois 1.3 MP Camera: A Revolutionary Hardware Extension for Raspberry Pi
The field of computer vision is constantly evolving, and one American scientist has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible. Dr. Laurent Itti, a distinguished lecturer at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, founded JeVois, a startup with a groundbreaking vision. JeVois combines a small, high-quality camera with real-time image analysis capabilities in a compact form factor. This innovative hardware, which measures only 39 x 31 x 23 mm, is designed for seamless integration with platforms like Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and even regular PCs.
Unveiling the Ambitious Idea
At the core of the JeVois device is a 1.3-megapixel camera, but that’s just the beginning. It houses a powerful 4-core ARM v7 processor, clocked at 1.34 GHz, along with a 2-core Mali 400 GPU and 256 MB of DDR3 RAM operating at 1600 MHz. What’s remarkable is the elimination of a small fan for cooling, making it compact and energy-efficient. JeVois boots up in just five seconds, ready to perform its magic.
Real-time Image Analysis
JeVois processes images at impressive speeds, depending on the selected resolution. It’s capable of achieving up to 30 frames per second at 640 x 480 resolution and up to a staggering 120 frames per second at 176 x 144 resolution. The image analysis is executed using the CPU, and the results are transferred via USB to a connected computer or microcontroller.
Versatile Operating Modes
JeVois operates in three distinct modes:
- Development Mode: In this mode, it sends images along with the analysis results via USB. It’s ideal for software development and testing.
- Text-Only Mode: In this mode, it communicates in plain text through serial communication, allowing for lightweight interactions.
- Pre-Processing Mode: In this mode, it sends only pre-processed images, making it suitable for integration with more powerful devices and systems.
JeVois comes with bundled software that empowers users to leverage its capabilities fully. This software is customizable and extensible, enabling tasks like reading QR codes, recognizing patterns, analyzing the environment, and tracking objects.
A Revolution in Education and Industry
JeVois is not only a game-changer for individual projects based on Raspberry Pi and Arduino but also for the broader tech industry. The Kickstarter campaign for JeVois saw an overwhelming response, with almost double the initial funding goal of $50,000, securing over $96,000 in contributions. With a competitive price point of $49 per unit, JeVois is set to begin shipping worldwide in March.
JeVois is set to play a significant role in education, where affordable computer vision hardware is in high demand. Its impact is not limited to traditional education; it extends to the Internet of Things, industrial automation, robotics, and more. JeVois opens up exciting possibilities, making real-time image analysis accessible to a broader audience.
For more information about JeVois and its applications, visit the official JeVois website.
Related posts:
Leave a Reply