Hi all!
I'm currently dreaming up a project.
I want to send the picture data via a camera module (I'm currently looking at this one) to my Arduino UNO which would send the data via wifi shield to a server for detecting a Barcode and then display the input on a simple display.
I want the Arduino to be able to:
receive an image.
Send the image to a server.
The reason I'm not using something like the Arduino zero is because I already have the UNO, and I don't like buying stuff.
I'll be using the image for reading a barcode, so if it would work better, the image could be grayscale.
What might the input of the previously mentioned CMOS camera look like?
What might my code look like, would I have to do anything on the server-side for processing the data?
Would I have to do any non-standard wiring to accomplish what I want to do?
I've already checked out CMOS IR Camera Module - 500x582 with arduino uno - Project Guidance - Arduino Forum
But he appears to be doing something slightly different, So I'm not sure if this would still apply.
How big is an image, and how much room do you have in Arduino RAM?
That cam appears to have an analog video output, so how do you plan to digitize the video?
zoomkat:
That cam appears to have an analog video output, so how do you plan to digitize the video?
+1
It's possible to digitize NTSC video with a microcontroller but I don't think an Uno could do this very well.
hcorion:
I'll be using the image for reading a barcode
What sort of barcodes do you want to read? You can get barcode readers on Ebay for less than $20 which work great with microcontrollers. Many barcode readers can be configured to output TTL serial data.
Follow the link in this post for more information. It's not hard to modify an Ethernet cable to use between the barcode reader on an Arduino.
I use a Brother label maker to print barcodes and they work great!
DuaneDegn:
+1It's possible to digitize NTSC video with a microcontroller but I don't think an Uno could do this very well.
What sort of barcodes do you want to read? You can get barcode readers on Ebay for less than $20 which work great with microcontrollers. Many barcode readers can be configured to output TTL serial data.
Follow the link in this post for more information. It's not hard to modify an Ethernet cable to use between the barcode reader on an Arduino.
I use a Brother label maker to print barcodes and they work great!
Cool,
I'm actually planning to scan food-based items. so I guess a UPC barcode. Would that type of barcode still work? Is there any requirements for barcode scanners that would support a TTL output? How would the arduino receive the output, as a string of numbers?
Thanks So much!
Some reading material:
hcorion:
Is there any requirements for barcode scanners that would support a TTL output?
I'm almost positive (97.6% sure) this scanner can be used with an Arduino.
I have several of these scanners from SparkFun but the $17 scanner from ebay would probably work better than the $100 scanner. (I purchased one from ebay for about $30 a few years ago and the $30 scanner worked much better than the SparkFun scanner.)
The scanner can be configured to output serial data. You just scan the configuration barcodes in the manual. Here are few of the barcodes I use frequently to configure my barcode readers.
Similar barcodes are used to set which type of communication protocol the scanner should use.
I've posted instructions on how to make a TTL serial cable from an Ethernet cable in the comments of the SparkFun scanner. This same cable will work with the ebay scanner.
hcorion:
I'm actually planning to scan food-based items. so I guess a UPC barcode. Would that type of barcode still work?
These scanners can easily read UPC barcodes.
hcorion:
How would the arduino receive the output, as a string of numbers?
Once an appropriate cable as been added to the scanner, and the scanner has been appropriately configured, it will output the barcode characters over the serial line. Ideally you'd want to use a hardware serial to read this data but it would be possible to read the data with a software serial.
If you want the Arduino to communicate with other serial devices, then a Mega would likely make your task easier.
I scanned the manual to the SparkFun scanner and placed the PDF file in my Dropbox. Here's a link to the manual (warning large pdf). The manual should apply to the ebay scanner.