Introduction

This repository provides a PyQt5-based graphical interface for visualizing and controlling industrial cameras through a device-independent API. It is designed to be user-friendly, minimal, flexible, and adaptable to a range of camera models and acquisition scenarios.

Key Features

• Live data stream visualization
• Pause/resume image acquisition
• Switch between mosaiced and demosaiced image views
• Support for bit-depth switching
• Frame sequence recording in ENVI and NumPy formats
• Adjustment of frames per second (FPS)
• Exposure time control with live feedback

Supported Cameras

This interface was originally developed to work with the following models:

• XIMEA MQ02HG-IM-SM4x4-REDNIR
  A hyperspectral camera using a 4×4 color filter array in the RED/NIR range.
• The Imaging Source DFK 23UX236
  A compact RGB camera featuring a Bayer color filter array.

Deployment Context

During an acquisition campaign in Japan (July–August 2025), these cameras were mounted on a JetArm Track T1 robotic system using a tripod affixed to the mechanical arm. Custom 3D-printed plate designs used for mounting are available in the data/plate_design directory.

Installation instruction

GUI

Prerequisites

The script was tested on a Linux machine running Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS using Wayland as windowing system.

You can install the provided package as a library by going to the root folder of the cloned repository and typing:

pip install pip --upgrade
pip install .

For visualization, you may also need to install this library:

sudo apt install libxcb-xinerama0

Testing the GUI

From this moment on you should be able to connect the camera through USB to your machine and type:

python camera_visualizer/gui.py

You can also run two camera feeds at the same time by running:

python camera_visualizer/gui_double.py

If the dependencies are resolved internally, you can run the script directly without installing the library by typing:

python -m camera_visualizer.gui

GUI instructions

To start a camera acquisition:

• Select the proper FPS (Note: the camera may change the value internally).
• Select the camera model:
  • mock: fake camera to test the graphic interface;
  • ximea: the XIMEA camera model MQ02HG-IM-SM4x4-REDNIR;
  • tis: the Imaging Source camera model DFK 23UX236. Note: Even if no camera API is installed, the mock camera will showcase the functionalities of the GUI.
• Press the Start button.

For setting the exposure time, either:

• Click the button Estimate exposure time
• Change the exposure time in the box Exposure time (us) or with the slider

For saving video frames:

• Type the save format;
• Type the filename;
• Press the Record button;
• Press the Stop recording button to stop the recording. Files will be saved in data/[camera_name]/[filename]_[timestamp] and with a sequential index.
• In case you want to save to a custom data folder, either:
  • Type export DATA_PATH=/your/path/to/data in terminal before running the GUI
  • Create a .env file and put it in the same folder as this README.md file with the only line:

    DATA_PATH=/your/path/to/data

To exit, just close the visualization applet.

Camera API

For detailed instructions to install the API/SDK of the supported cameras, please consult our internal guides:

• XIMEA MQ02HG-IM-SM4x4-REDNIR
• The Imaging Source DFK 23UX236

Programming a new camera

To interface a new camera to the GUI:

• Define a class that follows the signature defined by the Camera abstract class.
• Add a new enum to CameraEnum
• Instantiate the newly defined camera class through the camera function.

Plate designs

The 3d plate designs are intended to simultaneously mount two cameras (MQ02HG-IM-SM4x4 and TIS DFK 23UK236) over a standard tripod.

The designs, collected in the folder data\plate_designs, include:

• The original measurement design: cameras_94mm_v2.pdf
• A 2d draft for lasercuts: plate_design.pdf
• Blender 3d renders for the machine: scaled_holed_plate.blend
• An STL conversion for 3d printing: scaled_holed_plate.stl
• The sliced version for the Flashforge 3d printer: scaled_holed_plate.gx

The draft cameras_94mm_v2.pdf was prepared by:

• Kuniaki Uto uto@wise-sss.titech.ac.jp

Developers

Daniele Picone
Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, GIPSA-lab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Work mail: daniele.picone@grenoble-inp.fr
Personal mail: danaroth83@gmail.com

Mohamad Jouni
Floralis - Filiale UGA, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, GIPSA-lab, 38000 Grenoble, France
Work mail: mohamad.jouni@grenoble-inp.fr
Personal mail: mhmd.jouni@outlook.fr

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (AuRA) region under project "Pack Ambition International 2021" by Grant 21-007356-01FONC and Grant 21-007356-02INV. It is part of a scientific collaboration between Grenoble INP - UGA (France) and Institute of Science Tokyo (Japan). It was carried out at Hatanaka Lab, Department of Systems and Control Engineering, School of Engineering, Institute of Science Tokyo.