Warehouses have embraced automation to streamline logistics with Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and drones. These systems navigate expansive storage areas, transporting goods, scanning barcodes, and verifying stock levels with minimal human intervention. However, for automation to function at optimal levels, vision systems must match the speed and variability of warehouse environments.
A camera that struggles with lighting inconsistencies, motion blur, or reflective surfaces can cause misreads, delays, and workflow disruptions. e-con Systems’ See3CAM_37CUGM addresses these issues, equipping AMRs with high-speed imaging to improve warehouse automation.
This 3.2MP monochrome global shutter camera module is based on the Sony® Pregius S™ IMX900 image sensor.
In this blog, you’ll find out how this powerful Sony® IMX900-based camera significantly increases the efficiency of key AMR and drone-based use cases in warehouses.
AMR-Based Use Cases of e-con Systems’ See3CAM_37CUGM
Barcode scanning
Barcode scanning is a crucial part of warehouse automation. In fulfillment centers, AMRs travel across aisles, scanning barcodes to update inventory databases. These robots move quickly, capturing data in real time. However, warehouse lighting conditions fluctuate considerably. Some areas may have dim artificial lights, while others receive intense natural illumination. Conventional cameras may struggle in such settings, leading to exposure inconsistencies and blurred images due to motion.
How See3CAM_37CUGM solves this problem
Global shutter mode: Traditional rolling shutter sensors introduce distortions when capturing moving objects. See3CAM_37CUGM’s IMX900 global shutter sensor eliminates this issue by capturing an entire frame simultaneously, producing clear images even when AMRs are in motion.
Fast auto exposure: Warehouse lighting can shift abruptly between aisles. The fast auto exposure mechanism in See3CAM_37CUGM adjusts dynamically, maintaining balanced brightness levels and preventing overexposed or underexposed barcode scans.
High-speed data capture: The camera’s ability to scan at rapid speeds ensures that AMRs do not need to pause for barcode recognition, keeping warehouse operations seamless and uninterrupted.
Automated sorting
Sorting hubs process large volumes of packages, with AMRs scanning barcodes to route shipments correctly. However, barcode readability may be compromised due to glare from glossy surfaces or packaging materials like plastic wraps. It can result in incorrect routing, slowing down operations and requiring manual intervention.
How See3CAM_37CUGM overcomes this challenge
Quad HDR: The IMX900 sensor’s Quad HDR capability captures multiple exposure levels in a single shot. This reduces glare, making faded or partially obstructed barcodes more visible.
Global shutter mode: Even when packages move quickly along conveyor belts, See3CAM_37CUGM captures sharp images without distortion, ensuring barcode scans remain accurate on the first attempt.
Variable lighting performance: See3CAM_37CUGM’s IMX900 sensor adapts to different light intensities. This prevents issues such as barcode overexposure under bright lights or reduced visibility in dim warehouse zones.
Drone-Based Use Cases of e-con Systems’ See3CAM_37CUG
Pallet identification and tracking
Warehouse automation is evolving rapidly, with drones playing an expanding role in logistics. One of their key applications is scanning pallet labels from elevated positions. It reduces manual intervention and accelerates workflows, but scanning labels at such heights introduces multiple imaging challenges.
Sunlight streaming through skylights creates high-contrast conditions, while areas between racks often lack sufficient illumination. Standard cameras struggle to balance exposure under these shifting conditions, leading to errors in label recognition.
How See3CAM_37CUGM helps
Fast auto exposure: This feature helps adjust rapidly to accommodate lighting transitions from bright sunlit areas to dark rack spaces. So, even in mixed lighting conditions, the drone captures a properly exposed image.
High Dynamic Range (HDR): HDR technology maintains details in both bright and dim sections of an image. Hence, it prevents washed-out highlights or darkened shadows from obscuring the barcode.
These features enable drones to scan pallet labels in a single pass, ensuring visibility across various lighting environments.
Asset management and cycle counting
Drones have transformed inventory tracking by covering large areas quickly and scanning hundreds of barcodes in a single flight. But the reality is that inconsistent lighting, faded labels, and obstructions cause repeated scanning attempts. In turn, this increases battery consumption and lengthening operational time.
Warehouse environments also present unpredictable variables, from glossy surfaces reflecting overhead lights to low-contrast labels that are difficult to distinguish. A standard camera setup may miss or misread barcodes under these conditions.
How See3CAM_37CUGM addresses these challenges
Multi-exposure capture: This enables the camera to grab up to four different exposures within the same 2×2 pixel blocks. So, even under varying brightness levels, the barcode details remain clear.
Simultaneous exposure variations also mean short exposures capture bright labels, while longer exposures improve visibility on darker ones. It removes the need for additional scanning attempts. Thus, drones conducting inventory audits can scan barcodes accurately in a single pass, reducing unnecessary battery drain and speeding up the process.
Apart from these applications, the IMX900 sensor in See3CAM_37CUGM supports a range of warehouse automation tasks. From monitoring conveyor belt operations to tracking shipments, its imaging capabilities contribute to maintaining accuracy across different workflows.
e-con Systems Offers See3CAM_37CUGM: A Sony IMX900-Based Camera for AMRs
Since 2003, e-con Systems has been designing, developing, and manufacturing OEM cameras.
See3CAM_37CUGM is a 3MP Global Shutter HDR Monochrome USB Camera powered by e-con’s high-performance TintE™ ISP and featuring the Sony® IMX900 sensor. This USB camera delivers exceptional HDR imaging for high-precision applications. It has versatile interface options such as MIPI and GMSL and is compatible with all major image processing platforms, including NVIDIA Jetson and more. A color variant is also available to suit diverse imaging needs.
Go to our Camera Selector Page to see our complete portfolio.
If you require expert help to find the perfect camera for your warehouse automation robots, please write to camerasolutions@e-consystems.com.
Suresh Madhu is the product marketing manager with 16+ years of experience in embedded product design, technical architecture, SOM product design, camera solutions, and product development. He has played an integral part in helping many customers build their products by integrating the right vision technology into them.