New Wave Media

Live subsea video can now be digitally transmitted via Ethernet without significant latency, says Norwegian EPC-contractor Imenco, whose new SubVIS platform is based on embedding a computer into the camera, making it ready for advanced image enhancement and Computer Vision.

 

Imenco has effectively made a dedicated computer especially designed for low latency video processing, based on Smart Phone technology, the company said, adding that its full digital video transmission opens up an array of applications in the control room.

 

Similar to the Smart Phone technology, part of Imenco’s philosophy is to ensure an open architecture to allow third parties to fully integrate these cameras into control systems and to write software applications to increase the popularity and usefulness of the platform. This will allow users the freedom to tailor the package to suit specific demands, as well as integrating video analysis function algorithms, image enhancement etc. on top of the core software.

 

The system opens up for the use of image Metadata, which represents great advantages, the developer said. One of the most innovative features to be developed on this system is that subsea devices can be made to automatically communicate with each other, allowing the camera to tell the lights to reduce its intensity and deliver optimum level of light, for example.

 

The first camera based on the SubVIS technology is called Orca – the the Latin name of the Killer Whale, one of the most intelligent creatures in the ocean. This symbolizes the change from the analogue and HD-SDI cameras used in the market today. The camera is designed as a ROV main camera and has been equipped with an excellent water correction lens system for high image quality.

 

Imenco said it continue to develop software applications as well as new camera models in the SubVIS range.