Video camera design and implementation for telemedicine application

Thesis (MScIng)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Primary health care telemedicine services require the acquisition and transmission of patient data including high quality still and video images via telecommunication networks. The objective of this thesis is to investigate the implementation of a generalpurpose medical camera as an alternative to the complex and costly CCD based cameras generally in use at present. The design is based on FillFactory’s SXGA (1280 ×1024) CMOS image sensor. A low-cost Altera Cyclone FPGA is used for signal interfacing, filtering and colour processing to enhance image quality. A Cypress USB 2.0 interface chip is employed to isochronously transfer video data up to a maximum rate of 23.04 MBytes per second to the PC. A detailed design and video image results are presented and discussed; however the camera will need repackaging and an approval for medical application by medical specialists and concerned bodies before releasing it as full-fledged product.

AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Primêre gesondheidssorg telemedisyne dienste moet hoëkwaliteit televisiebeelde van hul pasiënte verkry deur van telekommunikasienetwerke gebruik te maak. Die doel van hierdie tesis is om die toepassing van n meerdoelige mediese kamera te ondersoek as n alternatief tot duur, komplekse CCD-gebaseerde kameras wat huidiglik gebruik word. Die ontwerp is gebaseer op n hoëkwaliteit CMOS beeldsensor. n Goedkoop Altera Cyclone FPGA word gebruik vir seinkoppelvlak, filtering en kleurprosessering om die kwaliteit van die beeld te verhoog. n Hoëspoed USB 2.0 poort word gebruik om die data teen die nodige spoed te versend. n Gedetailleerde ontwerp, en die beeldresultate word voorgelê en bespreek. Die kamera moet egter eers deur mediese spesialiste en relevante beheerliggame goedgekeur word voordat dit as n volledige produk vrygestel kan word.