Though indicators of the chip scarcity are trending in a constructive path, some corporations are nonetheless being impacted. One instance is the digital camera module maker OpenMV. As a substitute of ready for a specific half to develop into out there, they determined to maneuver on to a different platform for the OpenMV Cam RT, their newest high-performance digital camera system.
OpenMV Cams are all-in-one options for machine imaginative and prescient purposes. The boards include a digital camera module with a strong microcontroller operating MicroPython. OpenMV describes these digital camera methods because the “Arduino of Machine Imaginative and prescient.” Shields are even out there to connect with the cams to increase their performance!
Over time, OpenMV launched new merchandise primarily based on new microcontrollers. For instance, the OpenMV Cam H7 featured an ST Micro STM32H7 processor. After which, as a follow-on, got here the H7 Plus. Nonetheless, OpenMV has struggled to ship the H7 Plus on account of quite a few provide chain points. And now, they’ve determined to switch it totally!
The brand new OpenMV Cam RT options an NXP i.MX RT1060 crossover microcontroller. This MCU is an Arm Cortex-M7 with a double-precision FPU operating at 600 MHz. Regardless of the datasheet efficiency variations between the 2 microcontrollers, OpenMV’s testing exhibits the brand new design performs quicker total.
For reminiscence, there’s a discrete 32 megabyte SDRAM for software utilization. OpenMV Cam RT’s firmware makes use of the RT1060’s on-chip SRAM as a cache. There are two QuadSPI flash chips — a 16 megabyte chip for storage and an 8 megabyte chip for firmware. Moreover, there’s a microSD card socket for detachable storage.
OpenMV Cam RT additionally has many connectivity choices. First, there’s a USB Excessive-Velocity (480 MBit/s) port that (now) helps streaming photos out of OpenMV Cam in actual time! Second, 10/100 MBit Ethernet and an upcoming defend so as to add Energy-over-Ethernet (PoE) help are additionally out there. Final, the board features a wi-fi Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Vitality (BLE) chip with a uFL antenna connector.
Another ICs embody a Microchip ATECC608B safe authentication chip to retailer non-public keys, an accelerometer to help rotating photos, and an influence administration IC for charging an externally related LiPo battery.
Though OpenMV Cam RT remains to be in growth, you possibly can order one of many restricted manufacturing samples, now. (Observe you should provide a digital camera module, and these costs don’t mirror the ultimate pricing.)
For extra data, try this weblog submit introducing the brand new digital camera machine, and be part of the e-newsletter on the backside of the web page to know once they develop into out there.
