Following the launch of the Hawkeye 64MP camera back in April, Arducam has recently launched a low-cost Time of Flight (ToF) camera specifically designed for the Raspberry Pi embedded platform. The operating depth range for this camera spans from 2m (±4cm) to 4m (±2cm) and it can be used in outdoor environments as well.

According to the specifications, the camera module has a resolution up to 120fps. The performance drops depending on the Raspberry Pi device used. For example, the Raspberry Pi 4 and the CM4 can get up to 30fps. The frame rate is halved to 15fps on the Pi Zero 2 W while the Pi 3B can achieve up to 10fps. The Pi Zero is also supported but the resolution drops to 5fps. 

ToF Arducam and range supported
(click images to enlarge)

The FAQ section mentions that this ToF doesn’t need an external light source since it features an onboard laser, in this case a 940nm VCSEL illuminator. The resolution is set to always work at full resolution (240 × 180) but additional options might be added in the future. 

ToF depth capabilities
(click images to enlarge)

For software development, the company provides support for Raspberry Pi OSes (Bullseye 32-bit/64-bit or later) as well as SDKs in C, C++ and Python. Arducam might also provide support for NVIDIA Jetson devices and ROS depending on the campaign goals reached. 

The company has also provided a demo showcasing the depth capabilities of the ToF camera in different settings. 

Relevant key features of Arducam’s ToF camera:

• Platforms:
  • Pi 2, Pi 3, CM3, 4B
  • Zero W, Zero 2 W and CM4
• Interface:
  • MIPI (2-Lane)
• Max Frame Rate:
  • 120fps
• Max Depth Frame Rate:
  • 30fps, 4-phase 
• Number of Effective Pixels:
  • 240 × 180
• Image Size/Field of View:
  • 1/6″
  • 70° Diagonal
• Modulation Frequency:
  • 75MHz/37.5MHz
• Measurement Distance:
  • 4m with ±2cm accuracy for Far mode
  • 2m with ±4cm accuracy for Near mode
• Light Source:
  • 940nm VCSEL illuminator 
• Power Consumption:
  • 3.3/300mA, 5V/0.5A (Idle) 
  • 5V/2A (Full load)
• RPi OS:
  • Bullseye (32-bit/64-bit) or later releases
• Dimensions:
  • 38mm x 38mm

 Further information

Currently the Rewards include a 40% off the MSRP price. The first Reward starts at US$30 which includes a camera module, a flex cable and a 2-pin power cable. The company is also offering Rewards that include adapters (i.e. CSI-to HDMI, CSI-to-LAN) as well as large quantities orders. See the Kickstarter page for more info.