Digital Camera I/O: Precision and Flexibility for Automation

Many machine vision applications are straightforward: They use a camera constantly capturing images and some software to function. Other systems need to interface to peripheral devices to control motion, report results back or interact in some other way. This is achieved through digital input & output lines integrated into modern digital cameras. Cameras can receive trigger signals digital inputs to capture images or videos at the right moment or return status information to the system enabling a much tighter integration between camera, lighting, motion, or other automation processes.

The specifications and capabilities of a camera’s I/O system determine how and how accurately a camera can respond to external events. This applies to machine vision area scan cameras, monitoring cameras with streaming and recording functions, 3D cameras, cameras with edge-computing, or cameras with event-based sensors. In this presentation, McCabe talks about how the I/O functionality of these different industrial camera categories works and how familiar terms such as “flash and trigger” often only reflect a small portion of their functional capabilities.

About the presenter
Kevin McCabe is a senior applications engineer at IDS Imaging Development Systems Inc. He joined IDS Imaging in 2012 as an applications engineer and is responsible for technical inquiries across North America. He currently focuses on helping other engineers integrate IDS 2D, Ensenso 3D, and NXT AI-based cameras and provides in-depth product training to customers, distributors, and resellers to ensure a quick time to market.

Throughout his eight years at the company, McCabe has helped solve applications such as bin picking, palletizing/depalletizing, logistics automation, quality assurance, and ITS (intelligent transportation systems). He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.