Keep an AI on Things

If you have ever had an idea for an IoT application that required computer vision capabilities, but you were not sure how to get started building it, then you might be able to appreciate the newly-released NeoEyes NE101 AI Camera developed by CamThink. These types of devices are not easy to build — they need to have enough computational horsepower to run a computer vision algorithm, yet they also need to be energy-efficient enough to run on battery power for extended periods of time. On top of that, they need a ruggedized case if they are going to be deployed outside.

Based on the specifications, it looks like the NeoEyes AI Camera is going to check all of these boxes for a wide range of use cases. It comes equipped with a developer-friendly ESP32-S3 microcontroller with 8MB of RAM and 16MB of flash storage. By default, it comes with a 5MP OV5640 image sensor, but you can also connect a camera of your choice via USB if needed. For interfacing with other hardware, like sensors, the board has 16 exposed GPIO pins.

For applications where the device will be out in the field, as might be the case with an environmental monitor, for instance, connectivity is a big concern. The NeoEyes AI Camera offers a few different options in this department. It can be equipped with an LTE module for communication via cellular networks, or even a Wi-Fi HaLow module for LoRa-like long range communication with higher bandwidth.

To protect the hardware, it comes with an IP67 waterproof housing with a tempered glass window for the camera to look through. This case is designed to be mounted on walls, poles, or other brackets, so it can adapt to a wide range of applications. And it can keep operating for a long time after it is deployed — a set of 4 AA batteries is sufficient to keep the camera on standby mode for up to 6 years.

Of course it is also important that any device like this be heavily customizable so that it can be used in a variety of projects. Both the hardware and firmware of the device are open source, so there is plenty of opportunity to tweak everything to your liking. Whether you need to add a PIR sensor or a radar unit, it should be possible with this camera as long as you are willing to do a little coding.

Depending on the exact options that you choose, the NeoEyes AI Camera will set you back somewhere between $69.90 and $112. Whether you have got some wildlife monitoring or smart farming applications in mind, it might be worth your while at that price.