Basler is signaling a clear strategy to strengthen and leverage the Basler scout and pilot camera families by committing to new features and new sensor front-ends. The first step in this direction will be the addition of new features.
“This year, our customers can expect many new features on Basler scout and pilot cameras that will make the cameras easier to use and increase value by moving processing tasks into the camera”, explains Henning Tiarks, Product Manager at Basler Components. "We want to continue making integration easier and to provide even better image processing results. Basler will continue along this path during 2008 by adding automatic features such as auto-gain and auto-shutter to both camera families." The first new features include: Gamma Correction
This feature modifies the brightness of the images by calculating a correction value for each pixel in the image. The correction improves perception of the image by the human eye. By activating and adjusting the Gamma feature, a user can make the image appear brighter or darker. The result is usually perceived by the human eye as more detailed and sensitive. This feature is especially helpful when image analysis or monitoring is done by an operator. Binning
Binning is now available in Basler scout and pilot cameras. The main advantage of binning is that it increases the camera’s response to light by summing the charges from adjacent pixels.
For binning in the vertical direction, Basler makes use of the imaging sensor's native analog charge transfer functionality. This functionality has a direct effect on noise and on the amount of charge that can be collected from adjacent pixels. Compared to cameras in the marketplace without analog gain, this approach allows a reduction in noise. Due to the architecture of the CCD sensor, there is no native analog functionality for binning in the horizontal direction. But Basler has included a horizontal binning function in its high-performance FPGA. This allows a combination of analog vertical binning and horizontal digital binning to achieve the best imaging results with the lowest noise levels. The new feature allows the binning of up to four pixels in the vertical direction and four pixels in the horizontal direction. Debouncer
The debouncer feature discriminates between a valid and an invalid signal on the camera's digital inputs. The debouncer feature specifies a minimum time that an input signal must remain high or remain low in order to be sensed by the camera as valid. The fact that the minimum time is adjustable makes this feature exceptionally flexible. The debouncer feature is especially useful in eliminating the "ghost triggering" problems often encountered in tough industrial environments. New Features Will Be Available on Basler’s scout and pilot Cameras
Basler has already started the process of adding the new features to the scout and pilot families. The features will be added free of charge. Addition of the new features to every Basler scout and pilot camera model currently in series production should be completed by April.
Basler also recently announced the introduction of four new scout scA1400-30 camera models. These new camera models are expected to enter series production in March and will, of course, include the new features. Supported by Basler’s pylon Driver Package
Basler’s pylon driver package supports both GigE and FireWire cameras. The pylon SDK enables straightforward integration through extensive documentation and code samples that can often be simply cut and pasted into existing applications. The pylon driver technology developed by Basler has been proven in several thousand camera installations over the last year and has gained a well-deserved reputation for low CPU load, robustness, and ease-of-use.
Comprehensive documentation and a free-of-charge driver and viewer tool make it easy to start using and integrating Basler scout and pilot cameras. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Basler Components designs and manufactures advanced vision components for industrial users. Products include color and monochrome line scan, area scan, and intelligent area scan digital cameras ideal for high-speed and/or high-resolution applications. Product designs are driven by industry requirements and offer easy interfacing, compact size, and a strong price/performance ratio.
For more information, please contact us at +49 4102 463-500, e-mail us at [email protected], or visit us on the web at http://www.baslerweb.com. Courtesy of Basler | 
