Point Grey has released its Flea3 USB 3.0 camera series. Measuring just 29 x 29 x 30mm, the FL3-U3 is designed specifically for the demanding requirements of machine and computer vision applications. The first available models are based on monochrome and colour versions of the Sony IMX036, a high-quality CMOS sensor capable of generating 3.2 Megapixel images at 60fps.
With a practical limit of 384MB/s, USB 3.0 is almost 10 times faster than USB 2.0 and 5 times faster than FireWire-b. The increased data throughput and improved 4.5W of power delivery further makes USB 3.0 well-suited for many of the high-speed, multi-Megapixel area scan image sensors on the market today. Most laptop, desktop, and embedded systems now provide USB 3.0 ports, which maximises system compatibility and minimises the need for add-in PCI or PCI Express interface cards. Easy access to high quality, low cost components like cables and hubs also allows end users to lower the overall cost of their systems.
