Kasalis provides a 6 degree-of-freedom active alignment for array cameras, needed to commercialize computational imaging cameras. Six degree-of-freedom active alignment is especially important for array cameras, because inherent tolerances in the lens arrays produce variations in the back focal length of each lens in the array. Using active feedback from the image sensor, the Pixid systems are capable of adjusting the tip, tilt, and focus position of the lens array in order to both optimize focus and minimize the effect of the BFL variation of the elements of the lens array. Additionally, the sixth rotation axis (yaw or theta-Z) is used to position the center of each element of the lens array to the center of each focal plane on the sensor. Passive alignment techniques cannot meet the unique demands of an array camera. The Pelican Imaging 4x4 array camera is divided into 16 individual focal planes. The image on each of these individual active areas needs to be analyzed over many regions of interest to optimize the focus.
The Kasalis Pixid systems were choisen for array camera manufacturing because of the high bandwidth and data processing requirements that array cameras require. Pixid systems are able to examine the focus in up to 9 regions of interest on each focal plane. For the 16 active areas of a 4x4 array, this adds up to 144 unique regions of interest. The high bandwidth of the Pixid’s Image Signal Processing Unit (ISP), with USB 3.0 streaming, quad core processing and true real-time operating systems allow high megapixel images to be streamed and processed without using preview mode or other methods that may degrade image quality. Kasalis uses Pelican Imaging’s proprietary MIPI container algorithms to reconstitute the 16 images from the sensor. The Pixid’s massive processing capabilities together with its Adaptive Intelligence computational analytics gives Kasalis the ability to supply array camera manufacturing systems that produce better cameras, and are significantly faster than its competitors.
"The development of such a revolutionary approach to imaging requires innovation in multiple areas, which is why the ecosystem was initially created. Aptina is offering multiple zone sensors specifically for Pelican, our lens suppliers have unique capabilities to produce high quality, cost effective micro lens arrays, and Kasalis has provided the advanced active alignment using its Adaptive Intelligence software on the Pixid 300 platform," said Kartik Venkataraman, CTO and Founder of Pelican Imaging.
