New OpenMV Cam RT Goes Into Sample Production

Even though signs of the chip shortage are trending in a positive direction, some companies are still being impacted. One example is the camera module maker OpenMV. Instead of waiting for a particular part to become available, they decided to move on to another platform for the OpenMV Cam RT, their latest high-performance camera system.

OpenMV Cams are all-in-one solutions for machine vision applications. The boards contain a camera module with a powerful microcontroller running MicroPython. OpenMV describes these camera systems as the "Arduino of Machine Vision." Shields are even available to connect to the cams to extend their functionality!

Over time, OpenMV introduced new products based on new microcontrollers. For example, the OpenMV Cam H7 featured an ST Micro STM32H7 processor. And then, as a follow-on, came the H7 Plus. However, OpenMV has struggled to ship the H7 Plus due to numerous supply chain issues. And now, they have decided to replace it entirely!

The new OpenMV Cam RT features an NXP i.MX RT1060 crossover microcontroller. This MCU is an Arm Cortex-M7 with a double-precision FPU running at 600 MHz. Despite the datasheet performance differences between the two microcontrollers, OpenMV's testing shows the new design performs faster overall.

For memory, there is a discrete 32 megabyte SDRAM for application usage. OpenMV Cam RT's firmware uses the RT1060's on-chip SRAM as a cache. There are two QuadSPI flash chips — a 16 megabyte chip for storage and an 8 megabyte chip for firmware. Additionally, there is a microSD card socket for removable storage.

OpenMV Cam RT also has many connectivity options. First, there is a USB High-Speed (480 MBit/s) port that (now) supports streaming images out of OpenMV Cam in real time! Second, 10/100 MBit Ethernet and an upcoming shield to add Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) support are also available. Last, the board includes a wireless Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) chip with a uFL antenna connector.

Some other ICs include a Microchip ATECC608B secure authentication chip to store private keys, an accelerometer to support rotating images, and a power management IC for charging an externally connected LiPo battery.

Even though OpenMV Cam RT is still in development, you can order one of the limited production samples, now. (Note you must supply a camera module, and these prices do not reflect the final pricing.)

For more information, check out this blog post introducing the new camera device, and join the newsletter at the bottom of the page to know when they become available.