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By Lee J. Nelson
Contributing Editor
The camera's electronic shutter eliminates smearing while locking connectors ensure cables remain securely attached. When high throughput is essential, Lm085 acquires 60 fps at full resolution (752x480 pixels) and more than 100 fps in binning mode (376x240 pixels). Uncompressed streaming or still imagery is output across a mini-USB digital interface with 32 MB of RAM for frame buffering. No frame grabber is needed. And, a complete function library is contained in the available SDK (Software Development Kit).
Monitoring Technology Corp.'s (Fairfax, Va.) Hindsight GigE continuously records hours of high-resolution, extremely low-light video in excess of 1,000 fps while allowing users instant access to slow-motion replays. With hindsight gigE, production line personnel immediately can see how a "jam" occurred. Patent-pending ScanBack technology facilitates instant location and retrieval of stored segments with no disruption in recording continuity.
NAC Image Technology (Simi Valley, Calif.) provided high-speed video cameras for broadcasting January's NHL All-Star game. In February, they also were on hand for men's PGA events. NAC cameras produced slo-mo sequences during the NHL play-offs, the NBA All-Star game and will continue doing so throughout the Major League baseball season. According to the firm, those prestigious telecasts represent but a small percentage of the uses to which their cameras are applied.
The lightweight, laptop-compatible HotShot 512 sc is adaptable to laboratory, manufacturing, production and R&D. It records 512x512 pixels at up to 5,000 fps: the advanced CMOS sensor can capture 200,000 fps, albeit at reduced resolution. As a self-contained, Microsoft Windows-based motion analysis tool, HotShot 512 sc utilizes a USB 2.0 interface and optionally includes 16 GB of memory plus Ethernet EIA-802.3 and digital data ports.
With its on-board memory, the i-SPEED series from Olympus Industrial America (Orangeburg, N.Y.) affords true stand-alone operation since a PC is not required: the Camera Display Unit handles all functions via an integral LCD screen. i-SPEED ingests up to 33,000 fps, digitally stores the video either directly on a internal flash drive, to a Compact FlashCard or routes it over an Ethernet EIA-802.3 connection. And, video can be output in composite, S-Video or SVGA formats to standard CCTV equipment. Well-suited to industrial environments, the portable 1 GB model imparts rapid access to captured images for their subsequent review and analysis.