2 | NetCamSCI Science Oriented IP Camera | |||||||||||
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3 | Sales inquiry please email | sales@stardot.com | ||||||||||
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6 | Scientific use of StarDot NetCamLIVE and NetCamSCI | |||||||||||
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8 | The NetCamSCI was designed in conjunction with scientists who have been using our existing NetCam for various forms | |||||||||||
9 | of environmental research, both in and out of the field. It includes the features most requested by them. While it | |||||||||||
10 | functions perfectly as a normal streaming IP camera, the linux inside was designed to be controlled by scripting. | |||||||||||
11 | Pictures can be taken on demand or scheduled by cron, and uploaded via SFTP or stored to flash media. | |||||||||||
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13 | The most important feature of this camera is the HWK1910A sensor, capable of linear 16 bit raw images. This | |||||||||||
14 | eliminates the need to correct jpeg images which have been distorted by a variety of image processing algorithms | |||||||||||
15 | and cropped to an 8 bit range. A special command run from a script activates this mode, and all alterations to the | |||||||||||
16 | image pixels (usually created in the process of making a nice visual image) are turned off. The raw image is | |||||||||||
17 | extracted and stored in a DNG format which is loadable by MatLab, and contains all the metadata you need to process | |||||||||||
18 | the image for extraction of data. The metadata fields include several for personalizing or identifying the camera | |||||||||||
19 | location and scientist. | |||||||||||
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21 | There are cameras in this price range which attempt to make raw images, however the sensors used often include some | |||||||||||
22 | undocumented “bending” of bright pixels at the top, in order to enhance the apparent visual dynamic range. These | |||||||||||
23 | sensors are typically limited to 12 bits, but a few can produce 14 bits in an amplified mode. Even so, the resulting | |||||||||||
24 | data is not linear and will lead to errors in analysis which prevent extraction of the finer elements of the data. | |||||||||||
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26 | In some cameras, attempts are made to create wider dynamic range images by taking 2 pictures at different exposures, | |||||||||||
27 | and piecing them back together using math. This process has seam issues, because the 2 images are taken at different | |||||||||||
28 | times. The HWK1910A sensor solves this problem in 2 ways. It begins with a 2/3” sensor, much larger than the sensors | |||||||||||
29 | used in most IP cameras. This gives it better noise response, because the individual pixels are very large, leading | |||||||||||
30 | to a larger usable dynamic range. In addition, it includes a smaller pixel in the bayer filter array, which effectively | |||||||||||
31 | gives 2 pictures in one, without the time distortion. A 16 bit raw image is extrapolated from this single shot double | |||||||||||
32 | image, to produce absolutely linear information without a stitching issue. Accuracy of pixels can be better than +-4 out | |||||||||||
33 | of its 65536 range, depending on temperature and exposure duration. | |||||||||||
34 | ||||||||||||
35 | This camera is not a machine vision camera. Extraction of raw images can occur at a maximum rate of one per 20 seconds. | |||||||||||
36 | And unlike a machine vision camera, you do not need special software residing on the receiving PC to use it. It can be | |||||||||||
37 | controlled and programmed by the scientist using tools he is already familiar with. It is also very suitable for deployment | |||||||||||
38 | in the field, using solar power. | |||||||||||
39 | ||||||||||||
40 | Typical usage is to have the camera take scheduled raw images to be stored to flash memory or uploaded to a server at | |||||||||||
41 | periodic intervals , with optional sleeping in-between images if the camera is solar powered. When sleeping, power | |||||||||||
42 | usage can be as low as 10 milliamps. Images are typically processed externally using MatLab, PYTHON, or R code, although | |||||||||||
43 | it is also possible to process images inside the camera as long as the processing can be accomplished with a custom program | |||||||||||
44 | built to run on ARM9, or through the use of linux scripting. | |||||||||||
45 | ||||||||||||
46 | Unsuitable usage would be as a machine vision camera taking continuous raw images. The camera can stream H.264 for visual | |||||||||||
47 | usage, but production of a raw image interrupts this stream for a few seconds. Also, unlike most machine vision cameras | |||||||||||
48 | which are limited to 10 or 12 bits raw, this camera has a 16 bit dynamic range which can cover most outdoor lighting | |||||||||||
49 | conditions with minimal blow-out, making it more suitable for in depth study, rather than a limited dynamic range assembly | |||||||||||
50 | line inspection. The camera’s triggering of images can be by cron, or external trigger. | |||||||||||
51 | ||||||||||||
52 | A future firmware release will allow live streaming to Youtube or Facebook, which allows the area of study to serve a | |||||||||||
53 | secondary purpose as a live view internet camera. When extracting raw mode images, you can either let the live view show | |||||||||||
54 | the raw stream for a few seconds, or switch to an informercial stored on SD memory card. For example, a camera stationed | |||||||||||
55 | in a national forest could also provide a live tourist view, at the same time it's collecting data for research of | |||||||||||
56 | that environment. | |||||||||||
57 | ||||||||||||
58 | Key Camera Specifications: | |||||||||||
59 | ||||||||||||
60 | Format: Box camera with C/CS mount lens and internal Mic. | |||||||||||
61 | Sensitivity: Color images down to .01 Lux, brightness up to 16 bits. | |||||||||||
62 | Exposure Range: ~30uS to 1/30th second. | |||||||||||
63 | Exposure Accuracy: < 1uS to allow accurate corrections for exposure between images. | |||||||||||
64 | Color Format: Bayer RGB. | |||||||||||
65 | Streaming/Uploading: RTSP, FTP, SFTP, RTMP via SD card supplied ffmpeg (available) | |||||||||||
66 | IR mechanism: User controllable for pictures with our without IR component. | |||||||||||
67 | Raw output: DNG format designed for use in MatLab, 16 bits per pixel. | |||||||||||
68 | Power consumption: < 400mA @ 12V active, ~10mA @ 12V sleep mode. | |||||||||||
69 | Sleep mode duration and accuracy: 1 year, wakeup accurate to 1 second + 40 seconds boot time. | |||||||||||
70 | SD Card: Micro format, up to 128GB has been tested. | |||||||||||
71 | USB 2.0: 1A supplied. Flash drives up to 2TB have been tested. GPS and WiFi capable. | |||||||||||
72 | Internal script storage (independent of SD card or USB storage): 400KB. |