NI LabVIEW supports USB3 Vision Standard

22 November 2012 – National Instruments announced NI LabVIEW support for the new USB3 Vision camera standard through the NI Vision Acquisition Software driver package. The standard offers significant performance and usability improvements compared to USB 2.0 cameras and popular interfaces, such as GigE Vision, with faster bandwidth up to 400 MB/s and 4.5 W to directly power cameras. USB3 Vision cameras also offer plug-and-play functionality and ease of use through a standardized catalog of functions.

“More than 30 machine vision vendors have participated in the standardization of USB3 Vision,” said Eric Gross, chair of the USB3 Vision standardization committee and senior software engineer at National Instruments. “USB 3.0 ports are becoming mainstream on consumer and industrial computer products and, with this new standard, users can easily adopt cutting-edge technology for a wide array of vision applications.”

René von Fintel, product manager from participating camera vendor Basler adds, “With the easy connections and adherence to a clear standard, USB cameras are aimed at conventional industrial applications as well as medical systems, motion analysis and microscopy.”

The USB3 Vision standard supports easy camera connectivity to newer off-the-shelf computer products with built-in USB 3.0 ports, including the new NI PXIe-8135 embedded controller. Engineers and scientists can also take advantage of powerful image processing libraries from National Instruments with the NI Vision Development Module, which includes new 3D vision functionality, and NI Vision Builder for Automated Inspection, the stand-alone configuration software environment for machine vision applications.