Innovations in industrial machine vision are constantly trying to further increase performance levels while opening up new technologies to the mainstream. At the same time, there is also an increasing demand for industrial real-time capabilities of vision processes in order to be executed within a fixed minimal timeframe.
Kithara RealTime Suite adresses these key issues and enables the development of cost-efficient as well as performance-efficient machine vision solutions for industrial fields such as automated quality assurance, robotics, autonomous cars or medical technology. This includes image capture, image processing as well as subsequent control reactions all in the same real-time context.
For industrial machine vision two camera standards have proven to be particularly trendsetting and future-proof—GigE Vision® and USB3 Vision®. Both standards feature a similar set of benefits that make them highly suitable for a vast range of industrial fields and applications. Besides high data rates, both interfaces can also be optimally used for almost any task due to inexpensive and interchangeable standard hardware. Both interfaces can be configured with GenICam 2.0 which allows for the utilization of default functions as well as access to manufacturer-specific features.
Task and solution
In machine vision, Windows is often essential, due to most vision applications running primarily on Windows OS. However, without real-time capabilities, developers are usually confronted with certain issues:
Individual data packets of GigE Vision or USB3 Vision cameras are not transferred, therefore, images are corrupted or only partial transferred.
The reaction time is delayed by the Windows application and is therefore, too long and not deterministic, thus causing issues for subsequent processes.
An appication example for the Camera Module of Kithara RealTime Suite is quality assurance in the packaging industry. In this field the assessment whether a product meets the specification or not has to take place in a very short amount of time in order to remove an unsuitable workpiece from the production line. The Camera Module of Kithara RealTime Suite solves this task impressively. To avoid the loss of data packets the Camera Module provides large-sized memory buffer and real-time network or XHCI drivers. The reaction to received GigE Vision or USB3 Vision images immediately takes place in a real-time context within a few microseconds. This also allows for immediate control reactions by triggering subsequent real-time tasks.
The need for high-performance real-time systems in machine vision is especially apparent with high resolution images at high frame rates, where regular Windows functions bottleneck the processing of incoming data packages.
Modules
Real-time machine vision with the modular system of Kithara RealTime Suite consists of the following components:
Real-time image capturing with GigE Vision® and USB3 Vision® cameras
Camera Module
Image acquisition with GigE Vision and USB3 Visioncameras in real-time
Common
Features
Extensions
The Camera Module serves the purpose of capturing image data of industrial cameras according to GigE Vision or USB3 Vision standards in real time. It provides all necessary functions for detection and management and for creating real-time streams.
Large buffer memory along with real-time network drivers reliably prevent any loss of data packets. The reaction to incoming GigE Vision or USB3 Vision images takes place instantly in the context of the real-time environment within a few microseconds. An immediate real-time task can be triggered, in order to execute an instant control reaction.
Thanks to the real-time drivers, the Camera Module allows for maximal data throughputs according to interface and system configuration, even up to the theoretical maximum. For the real-time processing of image data, refer to Halcon and OpenCV extension.
The results of the image processing can be given to the process even in the real-time context without any delay, e. g. over EtherCAT or CANopen. Accordingly, automation solutions can be easily combined with several other functions within Kithara RealTime Suite.
The Camera Module requires Network Module for GigE Vision or USB RealTime Module for USB3 Vision respectively.
Maximum of two Cameras, above requires Camera Device Extension.
The Camera Acceleration Extension provides efficient real-time drivers for the GigE Vision framegrabber acceleration card PGC-1000 by PLC2. Embedded in Kithara RealTime Suite, the PGC-1000 is able to almost completely offload the CPU for image acquisition processes within machine vision applications. This allows, for instance, to simultaneously capture up to four GigE Vision camera streams each with 10 Gbit/s in a real-time context. The real-time synchronization of multiple cameras via the PTP Module by Kithara is also possible.
Real-time support for PGC-1000
Almost completely offloads the CPU for GigE Vision image acquisition
Connection speeds of up to 4 × 10 GBit/s or 64 × 1 GBit/s
Synchronisation of multiple cameras via PTP Module
Halcon Extension
Real-time image processing with Halcon
Common
Features
Halcon by Munich company MVTec is a program library with algorithms for image processing and machine vision. It includes its own integrated development environment HDevelop as well as over 2000 operators. The Halcon Extension allows for the implementation of this program library into the Kithara real-time system. This enables the triggering of immediate control reactions to processed images as well as their integration into automation systems with EtherCAT or CANopen.
The Halcon license needs to be acquired separately from MVTec.
Real-time image processing with Halcon
Over 2000 operators, including matching, segmentation, 3D matching, OCR, deep learning and more
Integrated development environment HDevelop
Automatic parallelization
Execute the HDevEngine directly from the real-time context
Immediate control reaction to processed image data, for example with EtherCAT or CANopen
Supports Halcon versions 10 to 13 as well as Steady versions 18.11, 20.11 and 24.11
The Halcon Extension is an extension of the
Library Module
OpenCV Extension
Real-time image processing with OpenCV
Common
Features
OpenCV is a Open Source program library with algorithms for image processing and machine vision. Among others it includes algorithms for face recognition, 3D functionality, hair segmentation, various fast filters as well as functions for camera calibration. The OpenCV Extension allows for the implementation of this program library into the Kithara real-time system. This enables the triggering of immediate control reactions to processed images as well as their integration into automation systems with EtherCAT or CANopen.
Real-time image processing with OpenCV
Algorithms for face recognition, 3D functionality, hair segmentation, various fast filters as well as functions for camera calibration as well as deep learning
Automatic parallelization
Immediate control reaction to processed image data, for example with EtherCAT or CANopen
Supports OpenCV Versions OpenCV 3.0, 3.4 and 4.1
The OpenCV Extension is an extension of the
Library Module
The deterministic reaction times of a real-time operating system can reliably ensure that the loss of image data packets is prevented. Kithara RealTime Suite achieves this with sufficiently large buffer memories and based on specially developed real-time drivers for Ethernet or USB. The reaction to received images occurs within the context of the real-time environment within a few microseconds.
Yes, processed image data can also be handled in the real-time context. This enables an immediate control reaction to processed images as well as their integration into automation systems using EtherCAT or CANopen. Kithara RealTime Suite thus offers a solution that seamlessly combines image acquisition, image processing, and automation within a single real-time operating system.
Within Kithara RealTime Suite, the camera interfaces GigE Vision and USB3 Vision can be used. Regarding image processing libraries, Halcon from MVTec or the open-source OpenCV can be utilized.
EtherCAT® and Safety over EtherCAT® are registered trademarks and patented technologies, licensed by Beckhoff Automation GmbH, Germany. CANopen® is a registered trademark of the CAN in Automation e. V. GigE Vision® is a registered trademark of the Automated Imaging Association. USB3 Vision® is a registered trademark of the Automated Imaging Association.
