The Automate 2011 saw the latest FireWire Equipped Cameras for industrial automation and vision systems in Chicago’s McCormick Place from March 21-24.
Several suppliers and developers demonstrated products that utilize the 1394b, which would give a 800 Megabit/second performance and is the most popular standard all over the world.
Point Grey Research showcased and demonstrated its latest 1.4 megapixel 1394b Grasshopper2 Camera, which utilizes the Sony ICX2852/3” EX view HAD CCD along with a 14 bit analog-to-digital converter for the generation of high quality images at 30 FPS, which is almost double the previous Grasshopper’s rate. This compact camera has dimensions of 44 x 29 x 58 mm and offers new features such as performance imaging modes and opto-isolated GPIO for strobe output and industrial triggering. The booth 728 would be where Point Grey’s demonstrations were held.
Booth 628 included the Sony Visual Imaging Products along with the latest extra light XCDMV61394b equipped digital camera, which belongs to the popular CXDIEEE 1394b series. This camera includes a 1/3 type wide VGA global shutter CMOS sensor and gets the credit of being the smallest IEEE 1394b camera in the market. Allied Vision Technologies (AVT) whose cameras are utilized for robotics, industrial inspection, traffic monitoring, medical imaging and other systems were showing their Stingray and Pike FireWire Cameras at booth 228. Booth 727 was inhabited by Intercon1, a Nortech division, which showed their newest FireWire Cabling. At booth 839, NorPix displayed products that include image archiving, 1394- based motion analysis, flow analysis, web inspection and medical imaging systems. Booth 734 was where NET USA showcased its high quality and innovative camera technology FOculus 1394 cameras along with cable assemblies, illumination and lenses, which are used in medical and industrial fields.
According to Max Bassler, the Chairman of the 1394 Trade Association, FireWire has materialized as the choice interface for many industrial automation applications and vision systems and the demonstrations of these products at the Automate was to highlight the newest and the ground- breaking 1394b enabled solutions.