June 24, 2010

Elphel Eyesis camera optics and lens focus adjustment

by Andrey Filippov

Designing for low parallax

texture_tiles
When we started working on Eyesis project our first goal was to make the panoramic head as compact as possible to reduce parallax between sensors. That not only reduces the stitching artifacts but also decreases the minimal distance to object without dead zones between the individual camera.

The first practical step was to reduce the PCB area around the sensors, especially in one direction, so multiple camera boards can be placed closer to each other, For that purpose we preserved the basic design of the proven 10338 sensor board, just changed the layout to make it more compact. The board 10338D is just 15mm wide – more than twice less than the older design.

Next step was to run mechanical CAD program and try to place the boards and lenses. Most of the Elphel cameras were designed for the C/CS-mount lenses, but when I tried to place them I immediately found out that when using 10 or 8 cameras around even the C-mount thread (CS is the same size but even closer) will be the limiting factor, not the sensor PCB that we already made smaller.
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June 17, 2010

Elphel workshop in Bordeaux during RMLL 2010

by Alexandre

RMLL 2010 (Libre Software Meeting) is a free (as a beer and as a speech) and non commercial conferences, workshops and round table about Free Software and its applications. The LSM goal is to provide a platform for exchange among Free Software developers, users and stakeholders.

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June 12, 2010

Elphel-Eyesis Progress

by Olga Filippova

Eyesis camera shade, before anodising

3 x 10353 processing boards with 3 connected sensors each

The first 3 Elphel-Eyesis prototypes are nearing completion. Even though there were delays from our suppliers we finally received the last remaining parts and can now finish the camera and data storage assembly.

There were concerns that the pole and its attachments could have aerodynamic problems and that the system could be a whistle at higher speeds.
Today we tested the assembled camera shade for acoustical noise while moving at speed 30-55 mph, luckily the tests proved that there was nothing to worry about.
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