Embedded Linux On a High Speed Camera

destructor writes: "Linuxdevices has an interesting article on a High Speed Gated Intensified Camera that "combines a fast gated micro-channel plate (MCP) image intensifier, a CMOS image sensor, and an embedded computer based on an Axis Communications ETRAX RISC processor running Embedded Linux." The camera (Elphel Model 303) itself is network operable and can be used for capturing images of explosions, lightning bolts, etc. Link found via. megarad.com."

Comments

Blinded Me with Science

[Alien54]

As usual, Linux/unix/*nix/etc are found where important research are found. This is very encouraging for the future.

Just for the educational point:

What is a "gated intensified camera"?

This term refers to a class of ultra-fast cameras, with exposure times in the nanosecond range. "Intensified" comes from image intensifiers -- vacuum tubes similar to those for the nigh-vision devices. "Gated" means those tubes (in contrast to night-vision applications) are used as shutters by applying fast electrical pulses to the control electrodes.

The neat thing is that the camera is operating as a webserver:

I have always disliked trying to find out why my company's systems were not working our customers' sites -- had my hardware really failed, or had they just updated some (seemingly unrelated) software on their computers which were running a popular OS? - - - This last issue unambiguously told me the camera should run a web server. Internet technologies are the best de-facto "common denominator" for the different computers and operating systems.

The world's fastest webcam! amazing! ;-)