{"id":598,"date":"2017-11-03T18:34:00","date_gmt":"2017-11-03T18:34:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gidel.com\/?p=598"},"modified":"2026-09-20T20:02:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T20:02:30","slug":"360-degree-camera-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gidel.com\/360-degree-camera-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Gidel InfiniVision Powers a 24-Camera VR and AR System"},"content":{"rendered":"

360-Degree Camera System for VR and AR<\/h2>\n

Gidel\u2019s InfiniVision technology enables a complete 360-degree camera system for VR and AR applications using synchronized multi-camera acquisition and FPGA-based processing. The system captures high-quality images from large camera arrays with precise timing and coordinated camera control, helping maintain consistency across all views before panoramic stitching.<\/p>\n

In addition, this architecture allows developers to build scalable immersive-imaging systems for media, sports, entertainment, and interactive applications. By combining synchronized acquisition, FPGA processing, and high-bandwidth data transfer, InfiniVision provides the infrastructure required for demanding 360-degree imaging workflows.<\/p>\n

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360-Degree Camera System Built with Gidel InfiniVision<\/h2>\n

A leading semiconductor company selected Gidel to help develop a scalable 360-degree camera system for its VR product division. The system captures panoramic content using 24 synchronized MIPI sensors. Intel, acting as a technology advisor to the customer, recommended Gidel because of its strong expertise in FPGA-based imaging and vision systems.<\/p>\n

As a result, Gidel designed a custom FPGA I\/O architecture using four synchronized cards, each supporting up to six MIPI cameras, for simultaneous acquisition from all 24 sensors. This infrastructure allows the semiconductor company to generate high-resolution VR content with precise control over timing, exposure, and sensor behavior.<\/p>\n

FPGA Architecture for 360-Degree Camera Arrays<\/h2>\n

Each Gidel FPGA I\/O card supports up to six MIPI cameras. Therefore, the full solution uses four synchronized cards to capture the entire 24-camera array. This modular design makes the system scalable, flexible, and easy to adapt to new VR or AR devices.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, Gidel\u2019s hardware handles frame aggregation and timing alignment. As a result, the system maintains strict synchronization across all cameras, an essential requirement for stitching accurate 360-degree images.<\/p>\n

In addition, InfiniVision supports synchronized acquisition from large multi-camera arrays and can be configured around different camera interfaces and sensor architectures, depending on system bandwidth, synchronization, and processing requirements.<\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
InfiniVision 360-Degree Camera System Architecture<\/caption>\n
Architecture<\/strong><\/th>\nSystem Configuration<\/strong><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Camera Array<\/strong><\/td>\n24 synchronized MIPI cameras<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
FPGA I\/O Cards<\/strong><\/td>\n4 synchronized Gidel FPGA cards<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Cameras per Card<\/strong><\/td>\nUp to 6 MIPI cameras<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Synchronization<\/strong><\/td>\nCoordinated acquisition timing across all cameras<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Camera Control<\/strong><\/td>\nEnumeration, initialization, reset, exposure, and sensor control<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
System Interconnect<\/strong><\/td>\nCustom PCIe backplane and high-bandwidth fiber-optic connectivity<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Software<\/strong><\/td>\nDedicated API for camera-array configuration and control<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Primary Applications<\/strong><\/td>\n360-degree imaging, VR, AR, immersive media, sports, and entertainment<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n
Swipe horizontally to view all columns \u2192<\/div>\n

Synchronized Capture for 360-Degree Imaging<\/h3>\n

Gidel\u2019s FPGA architecture synchronizes acquisition timing across the camera array and provides coordinated control of sensor parameters such as exposure, white balance, color processing, and gamma settings. This alignment helps improve stitching quality and reduce image mismatches during panoramic reconstruction.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the FPGA I\/O cards manage camera enumeration, initialization, and control operations. Developers gain predictable, deterministic behavior for all 24 sensors, which is crucial for real-time VR pipelines.<\/p>\n

Software API for Full Camera-Array Control<\/h3>\n

Alongside the hardware, Gidel created a dedicated software API that exposes system-level control to application developers. The API simplifies tasks such as camera reset, initialization, frame synchronization, and data handling. Consequently, software teams can integrate the solution into larger VR\/AR platforms without needing FPGA expertise.<\/p>\n

This combination of FPGA hardware, synchronized acquisition, and software control provides an integrated imaging pipeline for demanding multi-camera VR and AR systems.<\/p>\n

Related Gidel FPGA Platforms<\/h2>\n

Gidel provides FPGA-based imaging platforms for different multi-camera, embedded vision, and high-bandwidth acquisition architectures. Depending on camera interfaces, processing requirements, and system configuration, relevant Gidel platforms include:<\/p>\n