OpenMV Cam RT1060 Camera for Machine Vision

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

ADC

An analogue-to-digital converter reads a changing voltage and turns it into a number the microcontroller can use. It matters when connecting analogue sensors such as light, sound, or variable-resistor sensors.

BLE

BLE stands for Bluetooth Low Energy, a Bluetooth mode designed for low power use and broad compatibility with modern phones and computers. It connects well to battery-powered and mobile devices, including Apple hardware, though it behaves differently from Bluetooth Classic and its serial-style profiles.

Bootloader

Small starter software on a microcontroller that lets new code be uploaded before the main program runs. Knowing how to enter bootloader mode matters when you need to program the board or recover it after a faulty sketch.

CAN bus

CAN bus is a reliable two-wire communication network originally designed for vehicles and now common in machinery and robotics. It matters when you need multiple controllers or devices to share status and control messages in a noisy electrical environment.

COM port

A COM port is how a computer (chiefly under Windows) presents a serial port to software, whether a physical RS-232 port or a virtual port created when a USB-to-serial device is plugged in. Software can then communicate with the connected device over serial using a terminal or configuration program.

fps

fps means frames per second, or how many video images are captured or displayed each second. A higher fps generally gives smoother motion, which helps when the camera or the scene being viewed is moving.

FPU

A floating-point unit is hardware inside a processor that speeds up calculations with decimal numbers. This helps when projects use maths-heavy tasks such as motion sensing, filtering sensor readings, or audio processing.

frame buffer

A frame buffer is memory that stores a complete image before it is shown on a display. Displays without their own frame buffer need the controller to continuously send pixel data, which affects the choice of microcontroller and software library.

I2C

I2C is a two-wire communication bus used by many sensors and small modules. It matters because several I2C devices can share the same two wires, but each device needs a compatible address and your controller must support I2C.

JPEG

A widely used compressed image file format for photographs, where some detail is discarded to keep file sizes small. When a device produces JPEG output, the images are already compressed, making them easier to store on an SD card or send over a slow link than uncompressed raw data.

JTAG

JTAG is a hardware debugging and programming interface used to inspect and control chips at a low level. It matters for advanced development because it can help diagnose firmware problems that are hard to see through normal serial output.

LCD

LCD stands for liquid crystal display, a screen technology that uses a backlight and liquid crystals to show images or text. It matters because LCD modules usually need a display driver and enough controller pins or a bus interface to send image data.

LED

A light-emitting diode (LED) is a small electronic component that emits light when current flows through it in the correct direction. Because it only conducts one way, its polarity matters, and a through-hole LED must be soldered the correct way around to light up.

LiPo

A LiPo (lithium polymer) battery is a rechargeable lithium battery widely used in portable projects because it is light and compact. LiPo cells need correct charging circuitry and careful handling to stay safe, so equipment that supports LiPo generally includes charging or protection hardware suited to that battery type.

microcontroller

A microcontroller is a small computer on a single chip that runs a stored program and controls connected inputs and outputs such as buttons, sensors, displays and communication interfaces. In a device built around one, it is the part that executes the code and coordinates the device's behaviour.

MicroPython

A version of the Python programming language made to run on microcontrollers. It matters because it lets beginners write readable code to control LEDs, sensors, motors and displays without needing to start with lower-level languages.

Motion detection

The ability to sense that something has moved, either by comparing successive camera frames or by using a dedicated sensor such as a PIR (infrared) or radar module. When a product lists motion detection, movement can be used as a trigger so a system only acts or records when there is activity rather than running continuously.

OV5640

A specific camera sensor chip that captures still images or video data for a microcontroller or processor. The exact sensor matters because code examples, wiring, resolution, autofocus support and data format depend on the chip model.

PoE

Power over Ethernet lets one Ethernet cable carry both network data and electrical power. This is useful when installing a device where running a separate power adaptor would be difficult.

RAM

RAM (random-access memory) is fast, temporary memory a device uses for working data while it is running; in its common volatile form, its contents are lost when power is removed. Some devices offer a mode that applies settings to RAM only, which is handy for testing changes temporarily because they are not stored permanently and disappear at power-off.

RGB

Short for red, green and blue, the three primary colours of light that are mixed in varying amounts to make a wide range of colours. In electronics RGB can refer to an LED or pixel that blends these three colours, or to a colour signal or interface that carries separate red, green and blue channels.

RTC

A Real-Time Clock keeps track of time even when the main processor is asleep or powered down, usually with a small backup battery. It matters for data logging and tracking projects that need accurate timestamps.

RX

RX means receive, usually showing data being received by the board. An RX indicator LED can help with troubleshooting USB or serial communication.

servo

A servo is a motor with built-in position control, usually told to move to a specific angle by a control signal. It matters when you need repeatable movement, such as steering, arms, flaps, or linkages, rather than continuous spinning.

Shield

An add-on board that plugs into a main controller board to give it extra features such as sensing, motor control or communication. Knowing a product supports shields helps you judge whether it can connect neatly into an existing maker-board setup.

SPI

A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.

SRAM

Fast temporary memory used by a processor while a program is running. More SRAM helps with projects that handle larger data buffers, networking, displays, or more complex code.

TX

TX means transmit, usually showing data being sent from the board. A TX indicator LED can help you see when the board is communicating or uploading code.

u.FL

u.FL is a tiny snap-on antenna connector often used on compact wireless boards. A board with u.FL usually needs an external antenna, which matters if the product will be inside an enclosure or needs better antenna placement.

USB-C

USB-C is a small, reversible USB connector that can carry power, data and, on some devices, video over a single cable. The same connector can range from charging only to high-speed data, so the functions a given port actually supports vary.