All eyes on Nicla Vision: the new ultra-compact solution that combines machine vision and edge computing
Analyze and process images on the edge, with Arduino Pro’s new ready-to-use, standalone intelligent camera
Arduino PRO announces Nicla Vision, the new addition to its Nicla product family, designed to extend the Arduino ecosystem with a range that stands out for its tiny form factor (22.86 x 22.86 mm), computer vision, industrial-grade data sensing and fast deployment capabilities.
Following the groundbreaking introduction of the Nicla Sense ME, which set a whole new standard for intelligent sensing solutions, the Nicla Vision is a ready-to-use camera supporting TinyML, which can function as a standalone device, enabling image processing on the edge for advanced machine vision and edge computing applications.
Thanks to its 2MP color camera, smart 6-axis motion sensor, integrated microphone and distance sensor, it is suitable for asset tracking, image detection, object recognition and predictive maintenance. It senses and captures data regarding distance, sound, movement and vibration, and allows developers to quickly implement wireless sensor nodes to send collected data to the Arduino Cloud (as well as AWS, Azure, and GCP among others) via integrated WiFi/ Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity.
Powerful and versatile, widely compatible and packed with all the features you need to easily develop and deploy advanced solutions, Nicla Vision is ideal for building automation, industrial automation and prototyping applications.
Arduino Nicla Vision, top + bottom I photo: Arduino Pro
“The powerful STM32H747AII6 at the heart of Nicla Vision supports exceptional image-processing capabilities through its dual processor, including an Arm® Cortex®-M7 core running at up to 480 MHz and a -M4 core running at up to 240 MHz. We’ve worked with Arduino, an ST Authorized Partner, in their development of a product with the intelligence to process and extract useful information from anything it sees, making it especially suitable for industrial and smart buildings applications,” says Daniel Colonna, Marketing Director, STMicroelectronics Microcontroller Division. In addition, the LSM6DSOX – a 6-axis smart IMU sensor able to sense, think and act – perfectly suits the low power requirements of the board thanks to its unique embedded machine learning core.
Small in size but big on compatibility, Nicla Vision perfectly complements other Nicla products as well as the Arduino MKR or Portenta ranges. It supports MicroPython and, thanks to its versatile connectivity options, can be integrated into projects using a broad range of professional and consumer equipment.
Last but not least, Nicla Vision stands out for its low power consumption, making it the ideal fit for 24/7, always-on sensor data processing. It can even be battery-powered for completely standalone solutions.
All in all, Nicla Vision offers a groundbreaking combination of ultra-compact camera, AI and wireless capabilities, for on-device image processing and faster deployment of machine vision at the edge. Whether you need to recognize people and colors, detect gestures or quality criteria, or scan standard codes, Nicla Vision is trained to spot details – so you can focus on the big picture.
Nicla Vision is now available. For more information and complete technical specs, please visit: https://www.arduino.cc/pro
Application examples
Straightforward, versatile, and powerful enough to perform at Industry 4.0 standards, Nicla Vision opens up new opportunities for everyone, with technology enabling innovation – and innovators! – in every possible field. Ready-to-use and highly compatible, it’s designed to speed up project development and prototyping, expanding sensing capabilities for asset tracking, object recognition, predictive maintenance and more.
Ready for industrial automation
Nicla Vision is a valuable tool for industrial automation; for example, it allows companies to automatically track and count the boxes on a pallet, identify stock levels and read barcodes or QR codes without the need for a computer. It can also integrate quality checks right into the manufacturing process, identifying defects in surface, color or packaging to catch any mistakes before they reach the final customer, or enable predictive maintenance thanks to its multi-sensor capabilities, detecting anomalous vibrations or leaks, allowing service engineers to avoid/minimize machine downtime.
Building automation, from smart home to smart city
Nicla Vision’s features also lend themselves to building automation projects: from smart doorbells to recognizing a vehicle’s license plate, to many other asset tracking applications. It can be trained to read data from analog meters and send it to the Arduino IoT Cloud (or third-party services), or enhance user experience with smart kiosks that recognize gestures and voice commands from users.
Manage health and safety risks efficiently
For workers’ safety, it can be at the heart of solutions that automatically check if people accessing the plant are wearing safety devices (e.g. shoes, helmets and so on), protect geofenced spaces by identifying authorized personnel with face recognition, and even keep an always updated log of who is currently on the premises.
About Arduino
Arduino is the leading open-source hardware and software company in the world. Born to provide an easy-to-use platform for anyone making interactive projects, Arduino has reached a growing community and adapted to new needs and challenges, branching out into products for IoT, wearables, 3D printing, and embedded environments. As of today, the Arduino community includes approximately 30 million active users. With the Pro Business Unit, Arduino supports companies that are interested in going beyond the concept and rapid prototyping phase, to start mass production with the support of a qualified industrial partner and high-performance technological solutions.
Source: Arduino.cc
Cover image: Arduino
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