IDS has extended its 3D camera series with compact and robust devices designed specifically for robotics and automated series production.

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Ensenso N40 and N45 are IP65/67 protected for use in harsher environments, with fibre-reinforced plastic cases making them the lightest stereo vision cameras equipped with Gigabit Ethernet in the IDS product range. Rounded corners minimise injury risk.

Sensing comes through a pair of monochrome 1,280 x 1,024 global shutter CMOS sensors. Standard versions have an 850nm infra-red pattern projector, while others are available with 465nm blue projection.

N45 versions are fitted with a system branded ‘FlexView’ that improve the detail of the disparity map of static scenes.

With this, position of the pattern mask in the projector is shifted by a piezoelectric actuator, resulting in varying texture on the object surface. “Acquiring multiple image pairs with different textures of the same object scene produce a lot more image points,” according to the company. “The resolution increases. The matching algorithm calculates significantly improved disparity maps by using all captured image pairs.”

Screw-type GPIO connectors are fitted for trigger and flash, and power-over-Ethernet allows data transfer and power supply over long cables.

Working distance is 33cm to 3m, and max field of view is just under 4m.

Units are 193 x 52 x 60mm.

A software design kit – Ensenso SDK3.0 – includes stereo matching code.