Openmv: A Python powered, extensible machine vision camera

Abstract

Advances in semiconductor manufacturing processes and large scale integration keep pushing demanding applications further away from centralized processing, and closer to the edges of the network (i.e. Edge Computing). It has become possible to perform complex in-network image processing using low-power embedded smart cameras, enabling a multitude of new collaborative image processing applications. This paper introduces OpenMV, a new low-power smart camera that lends itself naturally to wireless sensor networks and machine vision applications. The uniqueness of this platform lies in running an embedded Python3 interpreter, allowing its peripherals and machine vision library to be scripted in Python. In addition, its hardware is extensible via modules that augment the platform with new capabilities, such as thermal imaging and networking modules.