UK-based single-board computer (SBC) company Raspberry Pi on Monday launched an AI camera. Focused on artificial intelligence (AI) projects and workflows, the device aims to let users make full use of external AI accelerators, such as the Raspberry Pi AI Kit, which launched in June. The AI camera features a 12-megapixel Sony IMX500 intelligent vision sensor that can capture visual data up to a resolution of 4056 x 3040 at 10fps. It is compatible with all Raspberry Pi models.
Raspberry Pi AI Camera: Price and availability
The Raspberry Pi AI Camera costs $70 in the US. The visual data sensor is available to order globally. In India, users can order it online from Robu.in, the company’s only approved reseller in the country, where it is priced at Rs. 7,899. Notably, it’s only available via backorder (it’s currently out of stock, but will be shipped when the next batch arrives). Shipping of the Raspberry Pi AI Camera is expected to begin on October 20th.
Raspberry Pi AI Camera: Specifications and Applications
Equipped with a 12-megapixel Sony IMX500 intelligent vision sensor, the Raspberry Pi AI Camera can capture scene data in 4056 x 3040 resolution at 10fps or 2028 x 1520 resolution at 30fps. The sensor has a field of view of 78 degrees and comes with manually adjustable focus. The cell size in the chip is 1.55 x 1.55 micrometers. It is compatible with all Raspberry Pi models and can be connected to the RP2040 microcontroller with a regular cable ribbon link.
Since it’s an AI-centric device, it uses Sony’s AI tools to program frameworks for neural network models like TensorFlow or PyTorch. The company highlights that the new model can also be designed to take advantage of the capabilities of AI accelerators.
Additionally, the device can be connected to the Raspberry Pi camera software stack and process Bayer frames using the LibCamera enhancement company-specific ISP, a similar workflow for all Raspberry sensors.
The Raspberry Pi AI Camera is suitable for AI projects that require visual data collection. These could be robots with vision, car systems for driving automation or road mapping, or something as simple as on-device AI models that can process real-world images. Furthermore, these can also be used for augmented reality use cases.
