Created as one of the first high speed capable connectivity options, USB 2.0 is popular for many machine vision camera applications. But the machine vision world is growing and so are their needs for high performance processing. Most developers and cameras manufactures turn to higher speed options despite their expense to gain better performance from vision systems. But USB 2.0 smart cameras change the price performance trade off and make high performance machine vision more affordable with USB2.0

In the beginning: USB

From its inception the USB2 interface for cameras has been an affordable and user friendly option. Initially designed to limit the number or ports used for PCs, USB expanded the capability of data transfer for the typical PC. After a while USB was not enough and was expanded by the USB 2.0 to enable real time transfer for high definition data, expanding the overall maximum speed of the connection. USB2 is widely available and easily integrated into existing systems. Almost all existing operating systems support USB2 technology and there is a variety of software and drivers available which are compatible with the technology. (more...)

Smart cameras are the most effective means of rapidly implementing simple machine-vision systems due to their reliability, cost effectiveness and easy to integration. As a self-contained unit, Smart cameras can be used for embedded single unit applications or networked to industrial manufacturing systems.

Below is a breakdown of the basic components of a smart camera and some important considerations when choosing a camera for your application. (more...)