Twain -
A standardized interfacing system that allows many different software
applications to access many different image input devices. TWAIN compliance is
needed for both software applications and imaging hardware devices (scanners,
cameras) to be compatible.
USB port -
USB is the abbreviation for
Universal Serial Interface
, and is a new
interface with throughput goes up to 12Mbps. It allows daisy-chained of 127 PC
peripherals connection with 5 meters per device. USB provides the power for each
device, means no more external power adapter for PC peripheral.
USB also supports hot swap of device, or dynamic insertion-removal, and auto
configuration as device changes. The throughput of USB, however, is not sufficient for
real-time video transmission. The recently released USB PC camera, imbeds video
compress/decompress technology to increase the data transmission and supports 30 fps
in QCIF or CIF format.
Video Communication Software -
Users can do little with PC
camera and other hardware without application software. Microsoft bundles
NetMeeting in Windows98 providing basic solution for video conferencing over
Internet or Intranet. While other software vendors provide video-mail, video editing,
pattern recognition, personal security and remote monitoring utilities to touch down
specific arena. Some software is quite sophisticated with comprehensive user
interface, check you’re nearby software dealers to get latest information. VGA: Video
Graphics Array, resolution is 640 x 480 pixels.
