LUCID launches Helios™ Flex time-of-flight module for accurate 3D object detection and measurement

LUCID Vision Labs, a designer and manufacturer of unique and innovative industrial vision cameras, announced the series production of its new Helios™ Flex 3D Time-of-Flight module.

Helios Flex is a robust, pre-calibrated Time-of-Flight MIPI module which can easily be integrated into embedded platforms for industrial and robotics applications. The module features Sony’s DepthSense IMX556PLR back-illuminated ToF image sensor and has four 850nm VCSEL laser diodes.

It connects to an embedded system using the NVIDIA Jetson TX2 and delivers 640 x 480 depth resolution at up to 6 meters distance. The Helios Flex module includes a Software Development Kit (SDK) with GPU-accelerated depth processing and runs at 30 frames per second.

More and more vision applications are now implementing 3D sensing using embedded platforms in order to take advantage of their processing power available in a compact size and at a low cost. Current embedded ToF solutions on the market have lower resolution and accuracy. LUCID’s new Helios Flex ToF module is easily integrated with embedded platforms such as the Nvidia Jetson TX2 for accelerated depth processing.

“Featuring Sony’s advanced depth sensing technology, the Helios Flex module allows users to leverage a high-performance 3D Time-of-Flight camera on a cost-effective, compact embedded system,” says Rod Barman, Founder and President at LUCID Vision Labs. The module is the first-to-market with Sony’s new DepthSense Time-of-Flight sensor which enables OEMs to build their own embedded 3D system using the latest ToF technology.”

LUCID’s own ArenaFlex SDK includes easy to use controls for the Helios Flex ToF module. Its GUI can show the intensity and depth of a scene in either a 2D view or a 3D point cloud view, which can be manipulated and oriented in real-time. Additionally, settings can be adjusted and seen in real-time, including false color overlay and depth range.