Acquisition software combines GPS and camera data

A new option available for the Caesar uEdition software range allows signals from digital video cameras and GPS receivers to be acquired in parallel with the collection of other measurement data.

A new option available for the Caesar uEdition software range allows signals from digital video cameras and GPS receivers to be acquired in parallel with the collection of other measurement data.

Ideally, standard commercial video cameras with a FireWire interface are used.

uLab can simultaneously display the video data online, during the data acquisition, along with diagrams, plots and other data objects.

In the offline mode, videos, measured data and GPS co-ordinates are synchronised and can be replayed with user selectable speed.

Rendering of the video during browsing is controlled via a cursor in the measurement graphs: the software automatically points to the respective time, matching the fixed image.

The travel distance can be simultaneously represented, based on the available GPS data, on suitable digital map material as used on navigation equipment.

A symbol, for example an arrow, can mark the current position and heading.

If required further information other than the current position, such as the data from any measured channels, can be indicated on the map.

Alternatively the route can be represented on an x-y plot as longitude and latitude, metres and/or kilometres distance travelled in a north/east or forward/lateral direction, or as an altitude profile.

The combination of classical measurement data recording with GPS and digital video technology opens a number of new application possibilities.

For example, the fast allocation of significant measured values to the physical environment in the driving trial or the representation of reference distances covered by the simulation in the laboratory or on the test stand.

Caesar offers this system approach ready for operation, and can be integrated with many data acquisition systems including MOPS, Quasar or the CAN measurement amplifiers of the QIC series.

In addition either a simple GPS receiver for the GPS information, an integrated GPS-supported speed sensor such as QIC Speed, or the inertial navigation system QIC INS can be used.

Digital map material can be merged with simple diagram files of test tracks, or MS MapPoint 2004.

For the video display, DirectX 9 compatible cameras of any quality using most video standards with both fixed images and video sequences, are supported.

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