Acquisition Settings

Configuring camera, calibration, and hardware parameters for image acquisition

The Acquisition Settings screen configures the Digit machine's camera and hardware parameters for optimal image capture. It includes pixel calibration, seed detection bounds, conveyor belt settings, and a live camera preview for real-time calibration verification.

Prerequisites

  • The Basler camera connected via USB.

  • The ESP32 controller connected via USB serial.

Screen Layout

The screen is divided into two panels:

  • Left panel: Live camera preview with seed detection overlay.

  • Right panel: Configuration parameters organized in sections.

Configuration Parameters

Pixel-to-cm Calibration

The Pixel/cm value converts pixel measurements to real-world centimeters. This is the most critical calibration parameter — it affects all area, perimeter, and size measurements.

  • Use the increment/decrement controls to adjust the value.

  • The live camera preview updates in real time to reflect the calibration.

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Sieve Offset

The Sieve Offset fine-tunes the screen size calculation. Adjust this value if the assigned sieve sizes are consistently off by a fixed amount compared to physical sieving results.

Area Detection Bounds

Parameter
Description

Min Area

Minimum seed area (in pixels²) to be detected. Seeds smaller than this are ignored.

Max Area

Maximum seed area (in pixels²) to be detected. Objects larger than this are filtered out.

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Adjust the area bounds to filter out noise (very small detections) and large artifacts (overlapping seeds, belt imperfections). The live preview shows which objects pass the filter.

Tracking Parameters

Parameter
Description

Max Cost

Maximum distance (in pixels) a seed can move between frames and still be tracked as the same object

Max Disappeared

Number of consecutive frames a seed can be missing before it is considered gone

Region Analysis

Toggle Region Analysis to enable or disable region-based feature extraction. When enabled, the application extracts features from sub-regions of each seed in addition to global features.

Camera Matrix & Distortion Coefficients

Advanced parameters for camera lens distortion correction:

  • Camera Matrix: The intrinsic camera parameters (focal length, principal point).

  • Distortion Coefficients: Lens distortion model parameters.

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These values are typically set during factory calibration and do not need to be changed unless the camera lens is replaced.

Belt Color

Configure the expected belt color for background subtraction. The application uses this to distinguish seeds from the conveyor belt surface.

Belt and Feeder Speed

Parameter
Description

Belt Speed

Conveyor belt motor speed

Feeder Speed

Vibration feeder intensity (0–255)

These values are sent to the ESP32 controller when the belt or feeder is activated.

Device Controls

The screen provides direct hardware control switches:

Control
Description

Light

Toggle LED illumination

Belt

Start/stop the conveyor belt

Feeder

Start/stop the vibration feeder

Use these to test and verify hardware operation during calibration.

Live Camera Preview

The left panel shows the live camera feed with:

  • Seed detection overlays (bounding boxes around detected seeds).

  • Model Mounting Status indicator showing whether an ONNX model is loaded.

  • Real-time feedback as you adjust calibration parameters.

Starting the Preview

Click Start Camera to begin the live feed. The preview uses the same camera script as the Record Analysis screen.

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Saving Settings

Click Save to persist all configuration changes. Settings are stored in the application's configuration system and applied automatically during recording.

Use Reset to Defaults to revert all parameters to their factory values.

Troubleshooting

Issue
Possible Cause
Solution

Camera preview shows no image

Camera not connected or in use

Check USB connection; close other camera applications

Seeds not detected in preview

Area bounds too narrow

Widen the min/max area range

Screen sizes are consistently wrong

Pixel/cm calibration is off

Recalibrate using a reference object of known dimensions

Belt or feeder not responding

ESP32 not connected

Check USB serial connection; verify the correct COM port

Distortion visible in images

Distortion coefficients not set

Enter the camera's calibration parameters or perform lens calibration

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