The SMDigCam real-time data acquisition software was developed to support the MegaPlus 16.8i digital camera from Roper Scientific. The camera is based on Kodak technology and is built around the KAF 16800, a 4,096 by 4,096 CCD chip, which is available if monochrome and color versions. The pixel size is 9 x 9 micron, and the focal plane sensor area is 36.86 mm by 36.86 mm. The highest data acquisition rate is about 2 FPS. The camera equipped with Rolleiflex medium format PQS series lenses, which offers high-quality optics and in between lens shutter, is ideal for demaning applications such as airborne mapping.

Functionality

The SMDigCam real-time data acquisition software provides you with the capability to acquire images in a real-time environment including the control of all the camera operation aspects. Specifically, SMDigCam offers the following features:

SMDigCam is designed to take advantage of Windows© NT/2000/XP technology, including the popular Windows user interface as well as its multitasking ability.

AP32 makes full use of Windows' graphics capability by displaying the status of all the camera controls and image capture process, and provides immediate display of the recently acquired image.

SMDigCam interfaces the digital camera through a high-performance BitFlow interface board and another interface card provides input for an external camera triggering signal.

The camera settings such as exposure control and f/stop can be controlled either manually or automatically by the program.

Images can be stored in either BMP or TIFF formats.

Image acquisition can be controlled in a variety of ways such as interactively through the user interface, by an external hardware signal coming either from a flight management system or manual device, and by the program by specifying the time interval between image captures.

Image imprinting such as date and time or image name is available

Images are named by date and time and can be automatically stored in flighline-defined folders.

Optional real-time image processing can provide histogram equalization on the fly.

A log file records all the image captures and thus provides an easy handling of the images

Image acquisition parameters are automatically saved and restored for new sessions.

The SMDigCam data acquisition program was used to collect digital imagery during the emergency mapping operations by the EarthData Group, who provided daily airborne surveys in mapping hot spots at the World Trade Center Ground Zero between September 15 and October 22, 2001. http://www.earthdata.com/ http://www.newyork.earthdata.com/

SMDigCam System Requirements

SMDigCam real-time data acquisition software is built to run on Windows© NT/2000/XP PC systems. A minimum system consists of:

Dual Pentium III processor, 600 MHz or better is recommended.

256 Mbyte memory, at least ½ Gbyte hard-disk (about 60 images can be stored on one Gbyte space)

BitFlow frame grabber with driver.

Measurement Computing interface board for external triggering.

Minimum 1024 x 768 resolution graphics (XVGA) and color monitor, LCD is recommended for airborne operations.

ActiveX control enabled.