Real-time embedded vision system development using AIBO Vision Workshop 2

Development of visual processing components in embedded systems is a difficult task. The nature of embedded devices not only limits the processing power available to applications, but the limited I/O facilities also considerably hinder development. Several complexities emerge for testing, debugging, quality evaluation and profiling when developing on an embedded device. This means that vision processing algorithms are not only harder to design for embedded systems, but require more time to debug and test than would be the case on a general purpose computing device. However the increase in deployment of robotic systems has seen embedded vision development becoming increasingly necessary in many problem domains. AIBO Vision Workshop 2 (AVW2) is a utility that address these problems associated with vision processing development on embedded systems by providing a flexible, off-line, modularised vision pipeline. That is, AVW2 aids developers in this area as it provides an immersive environment where each step (module) can be flexibly placed in a user configured vision pipeline. The output can then be rigorously inspected and tested. The code of the embedded system is executed in the environment of the AVW2 tool allowing profiling (experimental evaluation of the time requirements of the code).