VisionPortal Camera Controls

Clearer camera images can improve AprilTag and Color Processing results. The SDK offers eight camera controls (Exposure, Gain, White Balance, Focus and Pan/Tilt/Zoom), available in Blocks, OnBot Java and Android Studio. These controls can be applied under various lighting conditions.

The webcam itself is opened by a VisionPortal, which also provides the control objects described here.

Hats off to rgatkinson and Windwoes who developed these camera controls.

• Software Overview
• Webcam States
• Exposure - Webcam Controls
• Gain - Webcam Controls
• White Balance - Webcam Controls
• Focus - Webcam Controls
• Pan-Tilt-Zoom Control
• Camera Controls in Blocks
• Observing Controls
• Evaluating Your Webcam
• Some Caveats
• Sample OpModes

Summary

Camera controls in the SDK could potentially improve AprilTag detections and Color Processor results. Exposure, gain and other values could be pre-programmed in team autonomous OpModes. It’s also possible to manually enter such values before a match begins, based on anticipated lighting, starting position and other game-time factors.

You are encouraged to submit other webcam reports and examples that worked for you.

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Questions, comments and corrections to westsiderobotics@verizon.net