OpenMV Cam RT1062

Jargon buster

Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.

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.

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.

JPEG

A compressed image file format commonly used for photos. It matters because the camera sends already-compressed snapshots, which are easier to store on an SD card or transmit over a slow serial link than raw image data.

microcontroller

A microcontroller is a small computer on a chip that runs your program and controls connected inputs and outputs. For this product, it is the part that reads buttons and sensors, drives the display and speaker, and communicates over Bluetooth.

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.

RAM

RAM is temporary memory used while a device is running, and its contents are lost when power is removed. A “Run in RAM” mode is useful for testing settings without permanently programming the module, but it may not support every feature.

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.