Show Highlights

The Vision Show East, May 9–11, Boston, MA, Automated Imaging Association, www.machinevisiononline.org.

The GigE Vision standard formally debuted, and many exhibitors indicated support for the new spec. Dalsa Coreco (www.dalsa-coreco.com) demonstrated a 15-camera, four-computer GigE Vision application deployed throughout its booth. National Instruments (www.ni.com) announced it has added GigE Vision capability to its image-acquisition software. Pleora Technologies (www.pleora.com) demonstrated its iPORT AutoGEV software-mapping technology, which speeds compliance with the GigE Vision standard.

Interfaces such as FireWire, Camera Link, and USB also found support. Pleora's AutoGEV, for example, supports Camera Link cameras within GigE Vision applications. Matrox Imaging (www.matrox.com) announced a GigE Vision driver for the Matrox Imaging Library and also added an IEEE 1394b adapter card for its 4SightM vision computer. Newnex Technology (www.newnex.com) demonstrated optical repeaters that extend 800-Mbps FireWire over 10 km.

Several vendors aimed to speed image-processing tasks. MathStar (www.mathstar.com) introduced the Machine Vision Library for its Field Programmable Object Array (FPOA) devices. Celoxica (www.celoxica.com) highlighted its design tools for accelerating imaging algorithms on FPGAs. And Matrox debuted its FPGA developer's kit for programming FPGAs found on Matrox boards.

Among other board vendors, Active Silicon (www.activesilicon.com) demonstrated PCI Express frame grabbers, and Euresys (www.euresys.com) highlighted a PCI Express version of its video capture card. Demonstrating illumination products was StockerYale (www.stockeryale.com), which introduced its SpecBright line of LED modules, its Flat Top Generator laser-beam shaping module, and its Lasiris Slick laser. Edmund Optics (www.edmundoptics.com) previewed its EOS illumination technology, which combines fiber-optics with LED sources.

Camera exhibitors included Toshiba Teli (www.toshiba-teli.com), which showcased the CS6910G GigE Vision industrial camera. Basler-VC (www.basler-vc.com) introduced Scout cameras that come with GigE or FireWire interfaces and Pioneer cameras that come with GigE interfaces.

Imperx (www.imperx.com) introduced software utilities designed to provide extended access to its Lynx line of Camera Link and GigE cameras. Sony (www.sony.com/videocameras) introduced a version of its XCI-SX1 smart camera that's compatible with Windows XP Embedded. PPT Vision (www.pptvision.com) highlighted its Gigabit Ethernet Impact A-10 intelligent camera. JAI Pulnix (www.jaipulnix.com) displayed its GigE and dual-tap AccuPixel cameras.

Dage-MTI (www.dagemti.com) launched the XLM, an addition to its Excel line of FireWire cameras that offers a 2048x2048-pixel format based on Kodak's (www.kodak.com/go/imagers) KAI-4021M progressive-scan sensor.

Allied Vision Technologies (www.alliedvisiontec.com) demonstrated its Guppy family, which offers a IEEE 1394a interface, and its Pike family, which offers an IEEE 1394b interface. Point Grey Research (www.ptgrey.com) debuted the Flea2 IEEE 1394b camera, which fits within a 29x29-30-mm housing, and the Firefly MV, which offers a 25x40-mm board-level footprint.

Adimec (www.adimec.com) announced its Adimec-4050m, a 4-Mpixel CMOS camera with Camera Link interface that delivers the image quality of CCD cameras. Sick IVP (www.sickivp.com) highlighted its Ranger C Camera Link model, which in 3-D mode can acquire up to 30,000 profiles per second.

Lumenera (www.lumenera.com) demonstrated its USB 2.0 digital cameras and announced that it has integrated its cameras with MVTec (www.mvtec.com) Halcon 7.1 software. Videology (www.videologyinc.com) featured its I-Net Stream Ethernet cameras and video servers and its USB 2.0 cameras and I/O boards. Siemens (www.siemens.com/simatic-sensors/mv) demonstrated products like its Simatic MV220 color area sensor. Hamamatsu (www.hamamatsu.com) highlighted its Microfocus x-ray sources and line-scan cameras. Leutron Vision (www.leutron.com) demonstrated its PicSight cameras, available with Camera Link, Ethernet, USB 2.0, and analog interfaces. Finally, IMI Tech (www.imi-tech.com) highlighted its line-up of FireWire, Camera Link, USB 2.0, and Ethernet cameras.