The INCA intelligent camera is small, robust, and delivers HD quality images together with additional data, like acceleration, temperature, and pulse. |
Just
a few more meters to the finish line. The mountain biker jumps over the
last hill and takes the final curve, with the rest of the competition
close at his heels. At such moments, you do not want to just watch, you
would really love to put yourself in the same shoes as the athlete. How
does he push the pace on the final stretch? How fast is his pulse
racing? What does he feel like? Viewers will soon be able to obtain this
information in real time, directly with the images. Because the INCA
intelligent camera, engineered by Fraunhofer researchers in Erlangen,
makes completely new fields of application and perspectives possible.
INCA
not only renders images in HD broadcasting quality, it is also equipped
with a diversity of sensors that provide data on GPS position,
acceleration, temperature and air pressure. In addition, the camera can
be seamlessly connected to external systems via Bluetooth or WLAN: for
instance, a chest harness to track heart rate, or face recognition
software that can open up completely new perspectives. This way, viewers
may be able to catch even a small glimpse into the emotional life of
the athletes. In addition, the camera can also be combined with object
recognition and voice detection systems.
Armed for any eventuality
Despite
its tiny size (2x2x8 cm), the miniature camera is powerful enough to
handle professional film and TV productions, thanks to its high
performance capacity and minimal power consumption. It is best suited to
extreme situations, because INCA resists sand and dust, withstands cold
and debris, and can be readily installed as a helmet camera. In
addition to athletic and event broadcasts, other potential areas of
application include animal movies and nature shows, as well as
expeditions and adventures, where such additional data can provide
invaluable information. The camera analyzes data and by doing so,
enables the user to experience and record more about his or her
environment while filming.
Since
the camera system is based on the Android operating system, by playing
an app, it can be easily and flexibly adapted to the requirements of the
respective subject matter. INCA possesses enough computer power to
execute complex algorithms as well. As a result, it can correct
objective errors and compress HD videos in real time.
During
its development, these issues posed major challenges to the scientists,
as group manager Wolfgang Thieme of Fraunhofer IIS explains: “The core
issue was figuring out how to house such a massive range of
functionality within the tightest space. The OMAP processor (Open
Multimedia Applications Platform) makes all of this possible. As the
heart of the camera, this is comparable to a CPU that you find in any
ordinary PC. The difference is that additional function blocks for
various tasks have been integrated into the OMAP. Without these blocks,
the system would neither record HD video images nor process and issue
them in real time. The most difficult task was programming these blocks
and using them for data processing.”
This
smart camera is not yet on the market; however, anyone who is
interested can already try it out at the IBC trade show in Amsterdam
from September 7-11, 2012; simply drop by the Fraunhofer Booth B80 in
Hall 8.
Source: Fraunhofer Institute
