Raspberry Pi and Sony have jointly developed an artificial intelligence camera module for the Raspberry Pi microcomputer. The new product is compatible with all versions of the microcomputer and does not require additional accelerators or a graphics processor. According to Raspberry Pi, the camera will allow users to easily develop “advanced AI solutions for processing visual data.” The camera is already on sale for $70.
Image source: Raspberry Pi
The new 12.3-megapixel Raspberry Pi AI camera can shoot video at 10 frames per second at 4056 x 3040 pixels or 40 frames per second at 2028 x 1520 pixels. It has manual focus adjustment, a 76-degree field of view and dimensions of 25 x 24 x 11.9 mm, making it almost identical in size to the Camera Module 3 released by Raspberry Pi last year.
The camera is compatible with all Raspberry Pi single board computers and combines an RP2040 microcontroller chip with a Sony IMX500 image sensor, which provides AI functionality to the device. This combination eliminates the need for additional components, such as AI accelerators or GPUs, that are typically used to process visual data.
The new camera is a further development of Raspberry Pi’s plans to expand the range of chips and add-ons for its microcomputer. Since 2013, the company has released several non-AI camera modules and now offers an AI option.
«AI-powered image processing is becoming an attractive tool for developers around the world, said Raspberry Pi CEO Eben Upton. “We look forward to seeing what members of our community can achieve using the power of the Raspberry Pi AI-powered camera.”