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Global shutter cameras in robotics – advantages and applications

Capturing fast-moving objects was a huge challenge in the early days of machine vision and embedded vision. In factory automation where the application of vision technologies was the most common, blurry images led to issues in product identification, counting, and sorting. Phenomena like rolling shutter artifacts made it difficult to capture the details of the objects on a conveyor belt or assembly line.

The invention of global shutter sensors became a solution to this issue. A global shutter camera has the ability to eliminate shutter artifacts, thereby ensuring that even objects moving at high speed can be captured without fail. Global shutter cameras with high frame rates also ensure that the output does not have motion blur.  

In this article, we present what global shutter cameras are, the advantages of using them in next-gen mobile robots, and the different robotic applications where global shutter cameras are used today.

What are global shutter cameras?

Embedded cameras can be divided into two shutter types:

  1. Rolling shutter cameras
  2. Global shutter cameras

The rolling shutter is the more common of the two as they are more sufficient in most applications where the objects to be captured are either static or moving slowly while being more affordable in comparison to global shutter cameras.

As mentioned before, if the object or the camera system is in fast motion, global shutter cameras will be required. While a rolling shutter camera reads out the image line by line, a global shutter camera does it all at once. This ensures that the image does not appear distorted as the object moves.

For more information about the differences between rolling shutter and global shutter, check out the video:

 

How global shutter cameras can be a game-changer

Global shutter cameras have made the impossible possible in various applications. For example, when a smart traffic camera is installed on a highway. The camera needs to capture the license plates of vehicles that are moving at a speed of 40 mph or higher. While some high frame rate rolling shutter cameras are capable of capturing license plates with clarity, a global shutter camera will prove to me more consistent with a higher speed coverage.

In applications like ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition) where techniques like extrapolation are not effective, global shutter cameras can ensure that no part of the images is distorted or blurred.

In the next section, we will dive into how global shutter cameras are making an impact in robotics.

How global shutter cameras are changing robotics

Robotics has changed how humans perform various tasks. From factory floors to warehouses and restaurants, robots are gradually becoming an integral part of our daily lives. Modern-day mobile robots can navigate and function autonomously without any human intervention or guidance (these robots are referred to as autonomous mobile robots or AMRs).

Let us look at a few examples of tasks robots do with the help of global shutter cameras.

  • Capturing objects on the move – Some AMRs move fast (0.5 to 1m/s, or even higher in some cases), which requires them to swiftly take images of the target object while in motion.
  • Picking static objects with a moving arm – Pick and place robots use global shutter cameras to accurately spot the position of target objects. These objects can be anything from fruits and vegetables to packages and machine parts.
  • Product sorting – Product sorting is an extension of picking and placing where robots use arms to sort objects based on specific parameters. This demands high levels of accuracy, for which a rolling shutter camera will not be enough.
  • Watering and spreading fertilizer – Global shutter cameras are the ideal solution for image capturing for when agricultural robots and tractors need to water or spread fertilizer as they move through farmland.
  • Data collection – Outdoor robots like delivery robots and autonomous vehicles are often used to collect traffic and vehicle data. Since the robot as well as the objects captured are usually in motion, having a vision system integrated with global shutter cameras will prove useful for consistent data collection.
UVLS3-AR0234-SL Medium FOV Right

FPDLINK-III PCB Board Camera with onsemi AR0234 2MP Full-HD Global Shutter with Onboard ISP and S-mount Lens
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UVLS3-AR0234-SL
  • 0234onsemi AR0234 2.3MP Global Shutter Sensor
  • S-Mount for Interchangeable Lenses
  • FAKRA Automotive Connector
  • Plug & Play with Linux OS & Yocto
  • Comes with VizionViewer™ Configuration Utility and VizionSDK
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Sensoronsemi AR0234
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View Product

Robotic applications of global shutter cameras

In the previous section, we covered some of the different types of tasks robots perform with the help of global shutter cameras. Next, let us look at the benefits of global shutter cameras through the lens of a few industrial and commercial robotic applications. Here are the applications we will be covering:

  1. Warehouse robots
  2. Sorting robots
  3. Delivery robots
  4. Autonomous transportation systems
  5. Agricultural robots and autonomous tractors
  6. Drones

Warehouse robots

Warehouse robots are used for the following purposes:

  • Carrying objects from one place to another.
  • Placing objects on the warehouse shelves or pallet racks.
  • Lifting and moving heavy objects (Automated forklifts).
  • Inventory management – this involves keeping track of the inventory in the warehouse by identifying objects on the warehouse shelves. This is usually done using barcode reading.
  • Cleaning and maintenance.

Anything that involves the capture of objects when the robot is in fast motion will need a global shutter camera. Examples include reading barcodes on the floor for guided navigation, accurate localization, reading barcodes on pallet racks, etc.

Warehouse robots

Sorting robot with an arm

Sorting robots

Sorting robots are AI-enabled robotic systems that are used to sort products and packages in factories and fulfillment centers. Sorting is done mostly when the objects to be sorted are moving on a conveyor belt which a global shutter camera with a high frame rate is perfect for.

Sorting robots are also used as multipurpose systems for sorting as well as picking and placing objects.

Delivery robots

Autonomous delivery robots are getting more and more popular. Due to rising delivery costs, technologists and e-commerce experts are developing them as a sustainable and cost-effective method to deliver packages and food.

A key function of cameras in delivery robots is to capture data about their surroundings while in motion. To ensure that all the necessary data and the complete surroundings are captured, a global shutter camera will be a better choice compared to rolling shutter cameras.

Autonomous transportation systems

Driverless transportation systems have been the talk of the town for quite some time. However, they started becoming mainstream only in recent years due to the advancements in technology. What comes to our minds when we hear the term autonomous transportation is cars. But they are not the only ones that are on the autonomous transportation trend.

The Gacha running on Finnish roads is a great example of buses are being used for public transportation purposes which operate completely autonomously.

Whether a global shutter camera is needed in autonomous buses or not will depend on two things:

  1. The speed at which they are moving.
  2. The nature of the data or images they are being used to capture.

Agricultural robots and autonomous tractors

Agricultural robots are used for weeding and bug detection, harvesting, soil analysis, spreading fertilizer, etc.

While some of these functions are also carried out by autonomous tractors, they also help with plowing and planting.

Examples of tasks that require a global shutter camera in agricultural robots and autonomous tractors include:

  • Accurately detecting bugs and weeds.
  • Spreading fertilizer while the robot is moving.
  • Autonomous navigation.
  • Crop monitoring.

In all these tasks, there isn’t much leeway when it comes to accuracy. Global shutter cameras can ensure that accuracy is not compromised while the robot or tractor covers enough field in each duration.

An agricultural robot

Drones

Though technically not robots, drones are autonomous vehicles that leverage global shutter cameras for various purposes. Drones are used for:

  • Inspection of mines, construction sites, power plants, etc.
  • Inventory tracking in warehouses.
  • Military and security purposes.
  • For crop monitoring and measuring NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) in agriculture.
  • Tourism and entertainment purposes.

Excluding tourism and entertainment, all the other applications of drones on the list will find global shutter cameras useful.

Final words about global shutter cameras in robotics

Global shutter cameras are recommended in robotic applications where either the robot itself or the target object is moving fast. At the same time, it is to be noted that not every application that involves fast motion will need a global shutter camera. In some cases, a rolling shutter camera with the desired frame rate will suffice. In addition, the cost difference also needs to be taken into account as global shutter cameras are relatively more expensive than rolling shutter cameras with comparable features. So, if you are running on a tight budget, you might want to go with the latter.

Every application is different. It is always recommended to take the help of an imaging expert like TechNexion before you choose the camera shutter type.

TechNexion – using embedded cameras to give life to robots

In the last few years, TechNexion has heavily invested in developing camera modules for robotics applications. Our portfolio includes both rolling shutter and global shutter cameras. In addition, they come with features such as high frame rate, high resolution, low light and night vision capabilities, high dynamic range, etc. Learn more about our embedded vision cameras here.

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