Introduction to Gidel High-Performance Products

How to speed up image processing


Since 1994, Gidel has been a leading provider of high-performance FPGA-based imaging and vision solutions. Their product offerings are engineered for data-intensive applications that demand real-time processing and minimal latency.

Key product categories – Courtesy Gidel

For high-end vision and imaging applications, compression, and HDR

…. for light-weight applications with fewer demands you may not need Gidel’s products.

Below is an overview of Gidel’s high-performance products.


For high-performance frame grabbing or FPGA-processing

… for superior throughput and pre-processing to reduce data load, you absolutely might need Gidel

Example application: Traffic monitoring with 12x 10GigE cameras

Conventional approach: Multiple computers needed to handle the data volume, and the need to coordinate them in a managed solution

With Gidel’s FPGA-based GigE parsing: Single computer solution is possible

Another example: Aerial imaging with FPGA processing:

Conventional approach: Raw image data provided “as is” to host PC and software, then “good luck” from there

With Gidel HDR processing: FPGA in framegrabber does HDR enhancement before passing to host PC

Courtesy Gidel

FPGA Accelerators and development tools

Courtesy Gidel

Robust off-the-shelf and ready-to-use solutions

Accurate triggering despite velocity instability

Ideal when: precise timing must be maintained even when speed varies

Example application: Rail inspection – the rail car on which the inspection system is mounted moves at the variable speed of the train, but track inspection must be continuous at defined minimum intervals.


Real-time data reduction and optimization

  • Compression Ideal for recording, streaming, and cloud-based AI workflows
  • Feature extraction — Common in machine vision to minimize readout and host processing by focusing only on relevant image regions
  • HDR processing — Converts 10–16-bit input to 8-bit output in real time
  • Parallel operation —Simultaneous binning and full ROI processing for efficient mixed-resolution acquisition

Note: Early or crude attempts at compression reduced data volumes but at the cost of quality, struggling for images that were “good enough”. High-quality compression and feature extraction achieve both goals.

Left: Generated by conventional processing; Right: Generated using Gidel’s FPGA processing library
– Courtesy Gidel

FantoVision Edge Computers

First a one paragraph tutorial on edge computing: By putting computing power closer to the source (in this case one or more digital cameras), helpful processing adds value and either “makes the decision at the edge” and/or reduces data volumes that need transmitting to the central host PC.

For high-bandwidth applications. Integrate high-end image acquisition with real-time image processing and/or compression.

Powered by a Nvidia Jetson™ embedded computer with optional pre-processing and compression capabilities.

With Gidel’s InfiniVision™ open frame grabber flow, over 100 sensors can be simultaneously synchronized and processed.

Gidel FantoVision Edge Computers – Courtesy Gidel

Modular and customizable variants also available

… for those who want flexibility to extend and tailor beyond the off-the-shelf solutions

e.g. Replace the need to build your own frame grabber — Gidel allows you to implement and control your acquisition interface directly in the FPGA.


Other applications: Food processing

Low-latency inline execution – since decisions must happen within milliseconds

Also:

Courtesy Gidel

Most-recent award

Gidel’s Quality+ Compression technology has been named one of the Top 10 Innovations of 2025 by inVISION Magazine. Achieve 1:10 compression ratios while preserving the original image quality, ensuring critical details remain intact for applications where lossless accuracy is essential. Latency under a single frame, processing over one GB Pixels/sec.

Courtesy Gidel

Complex products… happy to guide you

Due to their high-performance, it’s not so easy to illustrate everything these Gidel products can do with a simple overview. One needs to dig into spec sheets and look at details – if you want a bottom up approach. Alternatively, tell us about your application, and we do a top-down analysis to guide you to a solution with optimal cameras, grabbers, computers, and tools. Whether by phone at 978-474-0044, or by web-form below, we’re happy to advise.

1st Vision’s sales engineers have over 100 years of combined experience to assist in your camera and components selection.  With a large portfolio of cameraslensescablesNIC cards and industrial computers, we can provide a full vision solution!

About you: We want to hear from you!  We’ve built our brand on our know-how and like to educate the marketplace on imaging technology topics…  What would you like to hear about?… Drop a line to info@1stvision.com with what topics you’d like to know more about.

#framegrabber

#FPGA

#edge computing

#video compressoin

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