Hardware/Neuro Vision STCam

Neuro Vision STCam Getting Started

The Neuro Vision STCam module with the ST VD66GY global shutter sensor, strobe LED and time of flight sensor.

beginner2 min read

Neuro Vision STCam

The Neuro Vision STCam is a camera module for the Neuro N6 built around the STMicroelectronics VD66GY, a 1.5 megapixel global shutter image sensor. The module carries a strobe LED on the sensor's strobe output and a VL53L1CB time of flight sensor. It has no display and no wireless module.

Specifications

SensorST VD66GY, 1124x1364, 2.61 um pixels
ShutterGlobal
LensFixed focus
InterfaceTwo-lane MIPI CSI-2 at a fixed 804 Mbps per lane
Output formatRaw Bayer 8-bit, processed by the STM32N6 image signal processor
Frame rate88 fps at 640x480, 60 fps at 1024x768, 45 fps at the full 1024x1344 frame
Strobe LEDOn the sensor strobe output, aligned with the global exposure
Time of flightST VL53L1CB, 4x4 zones, on the module I2C bus at 0x29
Carrier wiringPhysical CSI lane order
Part numberOL-DEV-N6-004, hardware revision B

The inertial unit, magnetometer and microphone are on the Neuro N6 board itself.

Global shutter

A global shutter exposes every pixel at the same instant, so moving subjects are not skewed and a strobe illuminates the whole frame uniformly. The module suits inspection, robotics and any application with fast motion or strobed lighting. See The Global Shutter Camera.

Circuit

The VD66GY sensor module seats in a Hirose BM28 30-pin connector and is clocked by a 12 MHz oscillator. Two BCT2057 low dropout regulators produce its 1.15 V and 2.8 V supplies from the Neuro N6's 3.3 V rail, and the 1.8 V rail is taken from the board. An MTXS0104 level shifter translates the I2C bus to the sensors' 1.8 V. The time of flight sensor and the white XL-2835 strobe LED follow the same circuit as the OV5640 module. The schematic is published under CERN-OHL-S v2; see Downloads.

Fitting

The module mates with the two board-to-board connectors on the Neuro N6 with the board unpowered.

In a sketch

cpp
#include <VD66GY_Arduino.h>

VD66GY camera;

The GlobalShutterVision example, under File > Examples > VD66GY, streams the full frame at 45 fps with YOLOv8 segmentation and publishes the board's inertial unit and magnetometer and the module's time of flight sensor to Neuro Studio. cfg.isp_enabled = VD66_isp_tuning_auto enables automatic white balance in the image signal processor.

Strobe and time of flight

The strobe LED is enabled with cfg.strobe = STROBE_ENABLED; Vd66gyStrobeTest in extras/bench verifies it. The VL53L1CB is read through the VL53L1CB library as a 4x4 grid of distances. See On-board Sensors.

Differences from the OV5640 modules

  • No autofocus, exposure, gain or white balance controls on the camera object. Exposure and white balance are handled by the image signal processor.
  • No display output. TRANSPORT_LCD produces a warning.
  • No WiFi or Bluetooth. A WiFi transport falls back to USB.
  • The full frame is portrait, 1024 wide by 1344 high.

Downloads and Regulatory Compliance.