FCam: an architecture and API for computational cameras

Abstract

This course is designed to demonstrate the use of the FCam, an Application Programming Interface (API) which allows for easy and precise control of camera systems. It lets programmers implement advanced computational photography applications. Such applications even allow the modification of basic camera routines such as metering, which are hidden inside black boxes in most camera systems. FCam is also an excellent tool for teaching and research on interactive mobile computational photography. The API has been open-sourced, and is currently implemented for Nokia N900 and an experimental Frankencamera (the F2). The Frankencamera architecture for computational cameras was presented at SIGGRAPH 2010. By end-2011, the FCam will hopefully be available on Nokia™ Linux phones, NVIDIA™ Tegra 3 development boards, and F3, the next version of the Stanford experimental camera. The F3 will be distributed to research universities within the US along with courseware in a National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored project. NVIDIA Tegras and Nokia™ Linux phones are available globally.