R&D project leads to the creation of a new camera-related technology to capture high-speed events from concurrent and multiple perspectives
A four-year long joint research and development project bringing together the University of Malta, a private company, and funding from the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST) saw the creation of new technology aimed at capturing high-speed events from many perspectives at the same time.
The research and development project, which is called MEMENTO (Multi-camera high-frame rate synchronisation) was a collaborative venture between the University of Malta and MST Audio Visual Ltd, and was based on a set of camera-related technologies and intellectual property established by the Department of Electronic Systems Engineering. This project benefited from research funding from the MCST under the FUSION programme.
During a press event at the Esplora Interactive Science Centre, Minister for Research, Innovation and the Co-ordination of post COVID-19 Strategy Owen Bonnici explained that MEMENTO has developed unique sensor cooling technologies as well as the ability to perfectly synchronize a number of cameras to capture high-speed events from many perspectives at the same time. He said that the University of Malta already has intellectual property on the subject and is in the process of patenting a number of derivative technologies that have evolved as a result of its research.
Minister Bonnici said that, “By delivering a product that appeals to a wider portion of the high-speed camera market, this creative initiative has been effective in answering major requirements of the scientific and cinematographic markets. This innovative product truly expands the spectrum of applications for high-speed cameras, such as in the field of scientific research.”
Minister Bonnici also emphasized the importance of investment in research and innovation, which will in turn generate further economic wealth and pledged the government’s ongoing support. “Furthermore, collaboration between the public and private sectors is crucial in concretising research and delivering innovative solutions”.
From his end, MCST Chairperson Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando said that, “Funding programmes such as FUSION are instrumental in unlocking creativity and transforming wonderful ideas such as MEMENTO into market-ready realities. Creativity and innovation are the backbone of a productive business and are key to surviving and thriving in today’s competitive and turbulent entrepreneurial scenario. More than ever, the market demands adaptation to fast, relentless technological shifts, and the development of game-changing products and services.”
Dr Marc Anthony Azzopardi, on behalf of MEMENTO, said that this new product will serve the needs of two market segments at the same time. The first segment being the scientific market through the creation of a camera which can capture high-speed video at high resolution while performing well in low-light settings, and which can be offered at an accessible price tag. Camera synchronization is a particularly valuable feature that allows scientists to examine fracture propagation, droplet creation, combustion wave fronts, and high-speed impacts, all of which are best viewed and analysed from diverse angles of view for optimal data acquisition. The ability to perfectly coordinate several cameras also opens up a slew of technical options, including 3D reconstruction.
The second segment is the broadcast or cinematographic market, with the aim being to serve this niche market with an affordable but versatile high-speed imaging solution that is easy to use and is well adapted to cinematographic workflows.
Proġett ta’ riċerka u innovazzjoni jwassal għall-ħolqien ta’ teknoloġiji ġodda fil-kamp tal-kameras biex jinqabdu avvenimenti f’veloċità qawwija minn ħafna perspettivi fl-istess ħin
Proġett ta’ riċerka u innovazzjoni li dam għaddej erba’ snin ġab flimkien l-Università ta’ Malta, kumpanija privata u finanzjament mill-Kunsill Malti għax-Xjenza u t-Teknoloġija (MCST) biex inħolqot teknoloġija ġdida li għandha l-għan li taqbad avvenimenti li jsiru f’veloċità kbira minn ħafna perspettivi fl-istess ħin.
Dan il-proġett bl-isem MEMENTO (Multi camera high frame rate synchronisation) huwa sħubija bejn l-Università ta’ Malta u MST Audio Visual Ltd u huwa bbażat fuq sett ta’ teknoloġiji marbuta mal-kamera u mal-proprjetà intellettwali stabbilita mid-Dipartiment tal-Inġinerija tas-Sistemi Elettroniċi. Il-proġett ibbenefika minn finanzjament għar-riċerka tal-MCST taħt il-programm FUSION.
Waqt konferenza tal-aħbarijiet dwar dan il-proġett fiċ-Ċentru Interattiv tax-Xjenza, Esplora, il-Ministru Owen Bonnici spjega li MEMENTO żviluppa teknoloġiji uniċi għat-tkessiħ tas-sensors (sensor cooling), minbarra l-abbiltà li tissinkronizza b’mod perfett numru ta’ kameras bil-għan li jaqbdu avvenimenti f’veloċità qawwija minn ħafna perspettivi fl-istess ħin. Huwa qal li l-Università ta’ Malta diġà għandha proprjetà intellettwali fuq is-suġġett u tinsab fil-proċess li tirreġistra patent fuq numru ta’ teknoloġiji li twieldu bis-saħħa tar-riċerka tagħha.
Il-Ministru Bonnici qal li, “Bis-saħħa tal-ħolqien ta’ prodott li jappella għal porzjon ikbar tas-suq tal-kameras għal veloċitajiet qawwija, din l-innovazzjoni rnexxielha twieġeb għall-bżonnijiet ewlenin tas-swieq xjentifiċi u ċinematografiċi. Dan il-prodott ġdid ikabbar l-ispettru ta’ applikazzjoni għal kameras għal veloċitajiet qawwija, bħal pereżempju fis-settur tar-riċerka xjentifika”.
Dr Bonnici enfasizza l-importanza tal-investiment fir-riċerka u l-innovazzjoni, li min-naħa tiegħu jiġġenera iktar ġid ekonomiku u qal li l-gvern se jkompli jagħti s-sapport sħiħ tiegħu. “Minbarra dan, il-kollaborazzjoni bejn is-setturi pubbliċi u privati huma kruċjali biex ir-riċerka tiġi konkretizzata u jingħataw soluzzjonijiet innovattivi”.
Iċ-Chairperson tal-MCST Dr Jeffrey Pullicino Orlando qal, “Programmi ta’ finanzjament bħal FUSION huma kruċjali sabiex jinkoraġġixxu l-kreattività u jitrasferixxu ideat bħal Memento f’realtajiet lesti għas-suq. Il-kreattività u l-innovazzjoni huma s-sinsla ta’ negozju b’saħħtu u huma elementi importanti sabiex wieħed ikun jista’ jirnexxi f’suq kompetittiv u turbulenti bħalma huwa l-ambjent tan-negozju tal-lum. Illum aktar minn qatt qabel, is-suq jitlob li n-negozji jadattaw għat-tibdil teknoloġiku bla waqfien b’mod mgħaġġel.”
Dr Inġ. Marc Anthony Azzopardi, għan-nom ta’ MEMENTO, qal li dan il-prodott ġdid se jissodisfa l-ħtiġijiet ta’ żewġ swieq fl-istess ħin. L-ewwel suq huwa dak tax-xjenzi u dan bis-saħħa tal-ħolqien ta’ kamera finanzjarjament affordabbli li tista’ taqbad videos f’veloċità qawwija f’riżoluzzjoni b’saħħitha anke f’kuntesti mhux wisq imdawlin. Is-sinkronizzazzjoni tal-kamera għandha valur kbir għax tgħin lix-xjenzati biex jeżaminaw numru ta’ affarijiet bħal fracture progation, droplet creation, combustion wave fronts u high-speed impacts, li kollha kemm huma jkun aħjar li jiġu osservati u analizzati minn diversi angoli għall-kisba ta’ data mill-aħjar. L-abbiltà li diversi kameras jiġu kkordinati b’mod perfett twassal għal ħafna opportunitajiet tekniċi, inkluż fir-rikostruzzjoni 3D.
It-tieni suq huwa dak marbut max-xandir jew maċ-ċinematografija bil-għan li dan in-niche market jiġi servut b’soluzzjoni ta’ immaġini affordabbli imma versatili fil-kamp tal-veloċità qawwija. Din hi soluzzjoni li tista’ tuża mingħajr diffikultà u hija adattata ħafna għall-ħidma fil-kamp taċ-ċinematografija.
This article was last updated on: June 16, 2021