In context
In September 2023, the robotics industry was increasingly leveraging high-performance, low-power embedded platforms like the Qualcomm RB5 Robotics Development Kit for autonomous applications. However, the kit's full potential was often constrained by limited camera connectivity, hindering advanced vision-based tasks in drones, delivery robots, and retail automation.
What was reported
e-con Systems, an OEM camera designer and manufacturer, introduced an advanced multi-camera solution for the Qualcomm RB5 Robotics Development Kit. The solution supports connecting up to six cameras simultaneously, using MIPI, GMSL2, or a combination of both interfaces, enabling imaging from multiple angles and perspectives.
The system ensures compatibility across various camera specifications, including different resolutions, shutter types, chroma, HDR, and NIR. It also offers full product development support to simplify the lifecycle, and leverages e-con Systems' ISP expertise for fine-tuning Qualcomm's ISP parameters such as AE, AWB, HDR, and color reproduction.
According to Gomathi Sankar, business unit head – industrial at e-con Systems, the Qualcomm QRB5165 processor, with 15 TOPS of compute power and low power consumption, opens new horizons for robotics, and this solution bridges the gap by providing robust multi-camera capabilities.
“These applications demand advanced camera solutions to leverage the full potential of this RB5 Robotics kit.”
Why it mattered
This development was significant for industrial automation as it addressed a critical bottleneck in embedded robotics vision. By enabling flexible, high-quality multi-camera integration, it allowed system integrators to deploy more sophisticated perception systems on a power-efficient platform, accelerating the adoption of autonomous solutions in logistics, delivery, and retail environments.
Source: Robotics & Automation News (roboticsandautomationnews.com) · Published 2023-09-05 · “e-con Systems unveils ‘advanced multi-camera solutions’ for Qualcomm Robotics Kit”