OpenCV has gradually become one of the best computer vision libraries. It started with the addition of the DNN module in the release of OpenCV 3.3 and now most of its updates are regarding complex modules like the recent addition of YOLOv4 and EfficientDet modules in OpenCV 4.4. Now, it has created further ripples in the industry with the launch of two hardware modules namely OAK-1 and OAK-D with the difference between them being a normal camera and stereo cameras.I will be writing this article from a student’s point of view and it is an opinion article. You may well have contrasting views so let me know in the comments. So is it worth buying? To find out let’s first review the device and the capabilities it offers.

Features and Capabilities

It is jointly created by OpenCV and Luxonis and comes with its AI-enabled Myriad-X chips that can perform computer vision applications. It is completely open-sourced with MIT-licensed hardware. It supports all the OS with OpenVINO support so it supports Windows, Linux, and Mac-OS without any issues. These devices will come with an OAK-API which is Python and OpenCV compatible. AI processing is done on the hardware itself which means it does not put any extra load on the system it is connecting and does not need any cloud-based services. This also means that the data can remain safe because it is processed locally.As seen on its Kickstarter page, it can be used to detect and track objects, perform segmentation, stream 4K videos at 30FPS, and also supports custom neural networks. With the OAK-D kit, live depth can be combined with AI which is seen as a cheat code to improve results. They claim that it requires only a 30-second setup and the features are shown below.Complete List of features as given on the Kickstarter page

1. Neural Inference — Object detection, image classification, semantic segmentation, etc.Warp/Dewarp — Support for additional lenses for fish-eye applicationsObject Tracking — Up to 20 objects with unique IDsAprilTags — Structured navigation (Apriltag is a visual fiducial system, useful for a wide variety of tasks including augmented reality, robotics, and camera calibration)H.264 and H.265 encoding (HEVC, 1080P, and 4K video) — 3.125 MB/s for 4K video and a Pi Zero can record 4K/30FPS video with this!Feature Tracking — Optical and visual-inertial navigation.JPEG encoding — 12MP stillsMotion estimation — Allows real-time background subtractionMJPEG encoding — For easy web streaming, etc.Edge detection Harris filtering.

OAK-1 Specific Features

1. Automatic Motion-based lossless zooming:

• 12x lossless zoom with 720p output6x lossless zoom with 1080 output1.5x lossless zoom with 4K output

OAK-D Specific Features

1. Stereo Depth (Including median filtering) — Extended disparity and subpixel possible for wider dynamic range.3D object localization — Monocular AI with a stereo disparity depth and stereo AI (i.e. stereo neural inference) for small object/feature supportObject Tracking in 3D space — 3D trajectory in real-time and enables motion statistics in meters.

Camera Specifications

Given below are the specifications of cameras of both the OAK devices.OAK Color Camera Specifications:

• Image Sensor: IMX378Max Framerate: 60fpsH.265 Framerate: 30fpsResolution: 12 MP (4056 x 3040 pixels)Field of View: 81 DFOV° — 68.8 HFOV°Lens Size: 1/2.3 inchAutoFocus: 8 cm — ∞F-number: 2.0

OAK-D Stereo Camera Specifications:

• Synchronized Global ShutterImage Sensor: OV9282Max Framerate: 120fpsPixel Size: 3um x 3umResolution: 1280 x 800 pixelsField of View: 81 DFOV° — 71.8 HFOV°Lens Size: 1/2.3 inchFocus (Fixed): 19.6 cm — ∞F-number: 2.2

#artificial-intelligence #computer-vision #data-science #deep-learning #review #deep learning