Five Focal

2012 Zoom Lens Conference IV Design Problem: Zooming Monochromatic Quartet

admin — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:18 +0000

The 2012 Zoom Lens Conference IV will include a zoom lens design problem. Find the full problem statement: Zoom Lens IV Design Problem. Note: The problem statement has been updated with a change to the definition of EFL, and the new due date of June 5th. Please refer to the set of Frequently Asked Questions often, as they will be updated as needed: Zoom Lens Design Problem FAQ (Updated 4/19/2012).

The due date has been extended. Email solutions or questions here by June 5th, 2012.

Article on FiveFocal’s ReCAPT technology published in Vision Systems Design

admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:48:34 +0000

FiveFocal’s Real-time Camera Analysis and Process Tracking (ReCAPT) technology that is used to estimate errors and improve yield during the manufacturing of miniature camera modules was recently featured in Vision Systems Design.

FiveFocal awarded DARPA BAA contract for the development of computational imaging theory and design tools

admin — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 08:00:09 +0000

DARPA DSO contracted FiveFocal for the development of computational imaging system theory and imaging system optimization to support the DARPA SCENICC program. FiveFocal will augment the design of Soldier Centric Imaging systems with the analysis of the theoretical limits of computational imaging, and through the development of imaging system design and optimization software that enables true system level design accounting for the lens, sensor, signal processing and display degrees of freedom.

FiveFocal awarded NSF Phase II SBIR for software to enhance process control and yield improvement in the production of miniature cameras

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 09:00:03 +0000

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded FiveFocal a Phase II SBIR grant to deploy a camera module yield improvement method and software toolset. FiveFocal’s Real-time Camera Analysis and Process Tracking (ReCAPT) algorithm integrates with existing production equipment to identify manufacturing errors and trends before product quality is compromised. ReCAPT leverages outgoing quality control imagery along with novel design-aware algorithms to identify assembly and fabrication errors which allows an improvement in yield and a reduction in development time for new products. The Phase II objectives include testing the algorithm in production environments to determine the achievable improvement in production yield, and to quantify ReCAPT’s economic value to manufacturers of digital cameras.

FiveFocal awarded DHS Phase I SBIR for the development of a robot vision system

admin — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 08:00:36 +0000

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded FiveFocal a Phase I SBIR grant to develop an improved vision system for ground based robotic platforms. FiveFocal’s Hybrid Robotic Vision System (HyVis™) aims to improve mission efficiency and outcome using a unique and innovative optical design that provides a panoramic field of view with a real time, arbitrarily positionable 10x zoom channel. The highly innovative HyVis™ design enabled FiveFocal to win one of the three awards selected out of 200 proposals for the program.

FiveFocal to present an invited talk at the Applied Industrial Optics Conference

admin — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 08:00:07 +0000

The invited talk, presented by FiveFocal’s CTO – Dr. Kenneth Kubala, is titled “Improving Yield in Wafer Level Cameras through Specialized Design and Process Monitoring” and will discuss research at FiveFocal that is aimed at improving yield in the manufacturing of mainstream camera modules. One of the key topics will be the discussion of an advanced algorithm that estimates manufacturing errors using image based measurements and calculates the manufacturing tolerances as a function of time. The Applied Industrial Optics Conference will be held in Toronto Canada from July 10th-14th.

FiveFocal awarded ARMY Phase II SBIR for visual navigation

admin — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 08:00:32 +0000

Based on a successful Phase I effort, the Army awarded FiveFocal a Phase II contract to design and build a prototype system comprising two main components, the Soldier Navigation Vision Platform (SVNP) and the Visual Navigation Toolkit (VNT). The Soldier Vision Navigation Platform consists of compact and flexible electronic hardware with video and IMU data acquisition that is designed to work in a number of output modes including autonomous data acquisition on a soldier, tethered operation with a PC computing platform, and with a commercialization partner’s test bed. The Visual Navigation Toolkit is a set of algorithms supporting data collection, fusion, visual navigation function and analysis. The VNT will consist initially of PC implemented software algorithms, but its modular design allows for easy optimization and porting to embedded microprocessors. A distinct advantage of the proposed SVNP and VNT over previous attempts at Visual Navigation is that the optics, signal processing, electronic hardware and the visual navigation algorithms are jointly designed in unison for the challenging requirements of soldier navigation applications.

FiveFocal awarded ARMY Phase I SBIR for LWIR navigation and mapping

admin — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 08:00:15 +0000

The Army Phase I SBIR program contracted FiveFocal to develop a stereo infrared imaging system capable of simultaneously acquiring panoramic wide field of view for autonomous mapping and navigation, and a rapidly steerable high resolution field of view to improve human perception and collision avoidance for high speed teleoperation. This contract leverages FiveFocal’s extensive experience developing thermal cameras, wide field of view imaging systems and solutions for simultaneous location and mapping (SLAM).

FiveFocal moves into a larger facility

admin — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 08:00:06 +0000

FiveFocal has moved its current operations to a much larger facility located at 1600 Range St. in Boulder Colorado. The new location offers improved lab space and room for FiveFocal’s growing business.

FiveFocal awarded NSF Phase I SBIR for a low-cost, compact thermal imager

admin — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 08:00:28 +0000

FiveFocal was awarded an NSF Phase I SBIR grant to develop a low-cost, compact long wave IR (LWIR) imager. The novel lens architecture and manufacturing methodology will expand the use of thermal imagers in defense applications and enable the transition to main stream commercial markets.