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Getting Started: Arducam ToF Camera for Raspberry Pi

getting started with a time of flight camera and Raspberry Pi

A quick step-by-step tutorial to help you jump-start your Machine Vision adventure with the Arducam ToF camera for Raspberry Pi.

Note

Raspberry Pi OS Bullseye is required for this camera (04/04/2022 or later releases), a fresh install is highly recommended.

How ToF Works

ToF stands for “Time of Flight”.

A ToF Camera emits modulated lights (CW method) and uses the time it takes for the said lights to be reflected back to measure the distance/depth info of any given object/scene, and you can obtain depth data (X, Y & Z coordinate position) in every pixel.

Light travel is calculated with d=C/2f, where C is the speed of light and f is the modulation frequency.

Connecting the Camera to Raspberry Pi

connecting raspberry tof camera to Raspberry PiFor a more detailed graphic guide on how to connect, please find out here.

Using the ToF Camera on Raspberry Pi

Follow each of the below steps by running their respective command shown below.

Step 1. *Pull the repository.*

git clone https://github.com/ArduCAM/Arducam_tof_camera.git

Step 2. Change the directory to Arducam_tof_camera

cd Arducam_tof_camera

Step 3. *Installation (Driver, Dependencies, SDK, OpenCV)*

./Install_dependencies.sh

When you see the reboot prompt, enter y. Raspberry Pi will automatically reboot.

Step 4. Compile & run

./compile.sh

Once it’s successfully compiled, live camera previews will automatically pop up.

Instructions for Safe Use

To properly use the Arudcam ToF Camera, kindly note:

  • Before connecting, you should always power the Raspberry Pi off and remove the power supply first.
  • Make sure the cable on the camera board is locked in place.
  • Make sure the cable is correctly inserted in the Raspberry Pi board’s MIPI CSI-2 connector.
  • Avoid high temperatures.
  • Avoid water, moisture, or conductive surfaces while in operation.
  • Avoid folding, or straining the flex cable.
  • Avoid cross-threading with tripods.
  • Gently push/pull the connector to avoid damaging the printed circuit board.
  • Avoid moving or handling the printed circuit board excessively while it’s in operation.
  • Handle by the edges to avoid damage from electrostatic discharge.
  • Where the camera board is stored should be cool and as dry as possible.
  • Sudden temperature/humidity changes can cause dampness in the lens and affect the image/video quality.