Wiki

The encyclopedia explains the major technical terms used to describe the technologies for the future markets of today, tomorrow and beyond. From A as in app to M as in MEMS right through to Z as in ZigBee.

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Stereo camera

When a stereo camera captures an object, there is a spatial disparity between corresponding points in the left and right image. The disparity is inversely proportional to the range of the point been viewed. This enables depth information of a scene to be calculated from a stereo image. The result of the calculation is a value per pixel, and can be visualized as a depth map.

Streaming

The continuous transfer of compressed data in the form of a data stream over the Internet.

Telemetry

Technique for calculating or measuring distance

Time-of-Flight (ToF)

A measurement method that captures the time taken to travel a distance to determine the distance, speed or properties of the medium.

ToF

Time-of-Flight (ToF) sensors emit a light pulse which is reflected back from the viewed object and received by a detector. For each pixel, the sensor measures the time the light pulse took to get to the object and back again, and calculates the distance from it. A ToF camera thus indicates the range of the object captured by it for each pixel.

Touch-screen

Touch-sensitive user interface with which software, for example, can be controlled by touch.

Ultracapacitors

Capacitors characterised by an extremely high capacitance of up to several thousand farads. Supercapacitors have capacitances between those of conventional capacitors and rechargeable batteries and can be used as energy stores.

UMTS

Universal Mobile Telecommunications System

V2X

Communication between a vehicle and any other party (V2V = vehicle, V2I = infrastructure, V2P = people …).

Virtualisation

Creation of a virtual (as opposed to a real) version distinct from the actual operating resources, such as of a hardware platform, an operating system, a storage medium, or network resources.

Wearables

Miniature electronic systems embedded into everyday objects which can be worn on – or even in – the body.

Wi-Fi

Designation for a consortium of companies issuing certification of devices with wireless interfaces as well as for the associated brand name. The consortium comprises over 300 companies and certified products from various manufacturers based on the IEEE-802.11 standard. This ensures interoperability with a range of different wireless devices.

WLAN

Wireless LocalArea Network

ZigBee

Wireless network standard for connecting devices in the near range between 1 and 100 metres, in the 2.4 GHz, 868 and 915 MHz frequency bands.