III: Medium: Collaborative Research: Frankencamera - an open-source Camera for Research and Teaching in Computational Photography

计算摄影广泛地指增强或扩展数字摄影能力的传感策略和算法技术。 代表性的技术包括高动态范围（HDR）成像、闪光-无闪光成像、全景拼接和可重聚焦摄影。 虽然图形和视觉研究人员对计算摄影的兴趣稳步增加，但由于缺乏具有足够图像质量和计算能力的便携式可编程相机平台，因此无法在实验室外使用，即日常摄影。同样，计算摄影课程在全国数十所大学提供。 然而，这些课程都没有为学生提供一个相机，他们可以实现目前正在出版的文献中的算法。为了解决这两个问题，我们正在建立一个开源的相机平台（称为Frankencamera），是便携式的，自供电，连接到互联网，并容纳单反品质的镜头和传感器。 我们还描述了一个基于Linux的软件体系结构，和一个API与C++绑定，允许在微秒的时间尺度上的相机功能的控制和同步。 我们的API包括测光和对焦等预捕捉功能、图像后处理管道、取景器的用户界面工具包，以及对当前和未来I/O设备的支持。 我们的计划是以最低的成本向全国的研究人员和大学教师分发这个平台，使用他们已经教授的计算摄影课程作为自然分发工具。 教师将向我们申请成为这个推广计划的一部分，一个常设委员会将评估这些申请。 我们的长期目标是促进创建一个为相机编写插件和应用程序的开发者程序员社区。

Computational photography refers broadly to sensing strategies and algorithmic techniques that enhance or extend the capabilities of digital photography. Representative techniques include high dynamic range (HDR) imaging, flash-noflash imaging, panoramic stitching, and refocusable photography. Although interest in computational photography has steadily increased among graphics and vision researchers, progress has been hampered by the lack of a portable, programmable camera platform with enough image quality and computing power to be used outside the laboratory, i.e. for everyday photography. Similarly, courses in computational photography are offered in dozens of universities nationwide. However, none of these courses provide students with a camera on which they can implement the algorithms currently being published in the literature.To address these two problems, we are building an open-source camera platform (called Frankencamera) that is portable, self-powered, connected to the Internet, and accommodates SLR-quality lenses and sensors. We also describe a software architecture based on Linux, and an API with bindings for C++, that permits control and synchronization of camera functions at the microsecond time scale. Our API includes pre-capture functions like metering and focusing, an image post-processing pipeline, a user interface toolkit for the viewfinder, and support for current and future I/O devices. Our plan is to distribute this platform at minimal cost to researchers and university instructors nationwide, using the computational photography courses they already teach as a natural distribution vehicle. Instructors will apply to us to be part of this outreach program, and a standing committee will evaluate these applications. Our long-term goal is to spur creation of a community of photographer-programmers who write plug-ins and apps for cameras.