FPGA Processing Platform for Machine Vision

Jan. 4, 2012
Trends come and go, but the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) trend is alive and well with vision-related products. Dalsa announces a next generation, real-time FPGA processing platform that includes the Xcelera-CL VX 4 vision processor and Sapera APF development environment.

Last November, I wrote about the new partnership with Altera and Eutecus that uses parallel algorithms and specialized co-processors integrated into a Cyclone IV FPGA for video surveillance. This launch targets high-performance, real-time machine vision applications and the system combines a FPGA hardware-processing platform with an Acquisition Control Unit (ACU), Data Transfer Engine (DTE), Image Processing Unit (IPU) and a state-of-the-memory architecture. 

The Sapera FPGA environment combines a point-and-click graphical interface with FPGA-based image processing libraries--includes more 150 imaging functions. This technology comes bundled with a bit accurate software version of the FPGA library functions for rapid functional simulation but also automatically generates necessary infrastructure to call user functions using a Sapera Software Development Kit. Algorithms include single pass or complex iterative algorithms. Other highlights are bit-accurate software functions that permit verification of algorithm behavior and seamless interface to Xilinx tools. 
The vision processor supports a wide variety of cameras, including multi-tap area, line scan cameras, color and monochrome modes; also 8-bit 10 tap configurations. The company adds that the platform will be ready in 1st quarter of 2012. 
Teledyne DALSA

Sponsored Recommendations

Why Go Beyond Traditional HMI/SCADA

Traditional HMI/SCADAs are being reinvented with today's growing dependence on mobile technology. Discover how AVEVA is implementing this software into your everyday devices to...

4 Reasons to move to a subscription model for your HMI/SCADA

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) gives you the technical and financial ability to respond to the changing market and provides efficient control across your entire enterprise—not just...

Is your HMI stuck in the stone age?

What happens when you adopt modern HMI solutions? Learn more about the future of operations control with these six modern HMI must-haves to help you turbocharge operator efficiency...