This post is on VEE, the Visual Enhancement Engine for Image/Video Processing.
Displays are ubiquitous and we use them everywhere, under bright sun-light, varying ambient light and in no lighting condition.
To specifically target a part of this issue, viewing in sun-light, trans-flective screens were adopted for the first generation. What about the other lighting conditions? The PQ screens were very usable when you are outside, but once indoors, in little high, normal or low lighting condition, everyone felt bit a compromised on the color saturation. The more you use the devices, more you realize that the time you spend in direct sun-light is not the major use case, and then this little compromise suddenly becomes uncomfortable! All you are now left with is a near mono-chrome display in direct sun-light and washed out color feel in ambient lights. Good solution, but not good enough for how tablets are being used as of now.
Other solution to all the above problems was to record the ambient light using ambient light sensor, and bump up the backlight brightness or power display. Unfortunately doing so increases power consumption significantly, diminishing battery life.
To resolve specially this issue, Adam II comes with a Video Enhancement Engine on-board.
This engine delivers television-quality visual experience by adapting display data, in real-time, to imrpove the ability to view videos under low backlight or in bright ambient light conditions. It enhances the image and video quality by compressing the dynamic range to match the characteristics of the display, resulting in a better viewing experience.
The system is based on the Orthogonal Retina-Morphic Image Transform (ORMIT) algorithm. It is a sophisticated method of dynamic range compression which differs from conventional methods such as gamma correction in that it applies different tonal and color transformations to every pixel in an image. These algorithms implement a model of human perception, which results in a displayed image that retains details, color and vitality even under different viewing conditions. ORMIT was developed as a result into biological visual systems, with particular emphasis on the humans.
Simply put, the display will be tuned in most lighting condition for different sort of images, and right set of parameters are acquired for this algorithm. Now when the devices on field, experiences a certain lighting conditions type and an image/video, it can quickly change the image properties and increase visual quality.
Here is how it works:
OMAP reads data from the memory, it can be an image, or video. The Ambient Light Sensor sends measured light values to OMAP (so it can control VDO to be covered in the next blog) and VEE. OMAP has DSI out, which should be converted to LVDS signals so the display can read data. Instead on Adam II, this DSI out is sent to the VEE which does it visual enhancement real time and outs the data as LVDS which the screen can now read. VEE also takes the ambient light signal values as one of its parameters. You can see on the extreme right how a display might look when VEE is off and when it is on. This is a photoshopped image and doesn’t do justice to the actual performance. Once ready, I will share videos on this, comparing the best know devices around. What is missing in the picture picture above is the DPO.
This Visual Enhancement Engine comes on board with a Display Power Optimizer (DPO), both of which are a part of a single brilliant package developed by one of our partners (who also holds the trademarks for VEE and DPO). In the next blog we will introduce our partner and what exactly DPO does, and most importantly what it means for the overall power optimizations and visual experience on Adam II.
Warm Regards
Rohan Shravan
This information is really a wow factor, it’s impact on weight and cost immediately comes to mind. But, it really sounds unique, as always. Best regards.
so do you mean their will be no pixel qi display in ADAM-II???. though it sound very reasonable from your explanation
This is, of course very exciting stuff. I love how you always shoot for the stars.
I’m glad I got an Adam, and even now its impressing people around me on this holiday tour, but I’m so looking forward to Adam II.
Just to note, the lady with the ipad is impressed that I can type up my blog on the move, the guy with the iphone is wondering why I can get GPS positions when there’s no wifi available for his device to get AGPS, and the rest of them are just impressed.
Thanks for keeping us in the loop, Rohan. Looking forward to more.
peaceout
[off topic]
Hi Phillip,
I was wondering, you’re always enthousiastic about your Adam and I really enjoy that ! My adam is great but not without issues…
Which combination adam version + rom do you use ?
Thx bye A.
To be totally honest, its not without issues, I had to reset it via the pinhole the other day, and my microphone and camera don’t work, but my friends ipad also locked up so what is one to do?
I have an original development adam, as in OAP and use Ice Cream beta 2. Its pixel qi, wifi+3g
My philosophy is this (which will explain my tone):
Adam 1 was a step, just one, of the path that NI must take. I did programming on the Apple 2e, and it had some horrible idiosyncrasies, and yet look at Apple now 27 years on from when I was doing that. I think that the openness Rohan has displayed has been both his greatest strength and also been used against him as a weakness. I can appreciate that some people are frustrated and have expressed that, but I can’t condone the abuse and threats that some have resorted to. I see adam 1 as just one step and I’m looking forward to what is coming next. I just hope that my more positive outlook will bring some balance to the often negative comments. You catch more flies with honey than a hammer, or so they say.
Thus I say
peaceout adamfreaks
Hey, Thanks. I do appreciate my Adam, that’s for sure. And I think this is a step too.
I just would like to use it a bit more often, what is quite difficult because of main issues.
Nevertheless, let’s see Adam2 !
Keep Going !
A.
So basically this “new” technology is like VividView processor used in Nook Tablet and Nook Color? Can you compare these two technologies? Is your solution better in any way? Also, you haven’t answered if you are going to take any measures to reduce screen glare.
wow…this is just brilliant stuff…..i’m already in love with this new baby….i think the new adam is the answer to whatever i wanted to do with the first one…..i bought a pqi screen ‘coz of it’s innovative approach….but sadly it didn’t work out for me because i use it only indoors…..most of my usage was visual in nature….movies, streaming videos, photos…..but pqi screen lacked the clarity and the viewing angles were terrible….none of it was ni’s or pqi’s fault…still love my adam and as i said….i am loving the new one already…keep it up guys…and keep it different
Well one of my posts in the last blog post never became visible. Anyways, I was talking about whether 1280×800 was the best choice made for a 10 inch device (I am not sure even now because of the time frame NI is having for the release) .
Speakers were a saving grace last time but the viewing angles were really bad on both display versions.
I hope at least that is not the case for the second generation. To nail the point, 1st gen was a good idea but a bit of a mediocre experience as a consumer.
I also understand from the post, that the final hardware prototype is awaited (or may be an early prototype of A2 – two ways of reading between the lines).
Hoping and wishing for the best.
all my posts gets stuck in moderation…..
Rohan, I am really concerned about when the Adam2 prototype will be a reality. I have read the the information available on the Orthogonal Retina-Morphic Image Transform (ORMIT) algorithm and it still sounds very theoretical. They mainly deal wit HD video cameras for security systems and probably developed by the Russians for intelligence gathering. This doesn’t sound like something to be used for a dependable, soon to be released product with the processing speed, power and memory that this algorithm appears to need. I am looking for something by the end of the year and don’t want to go back to making multiple purchases. I am in real suspense waiting for your next posting as this has become a nail biting experience. Best regards as always, still hopeful.
Good information Rohan! Still not a definitive reply about PQ screen, but seems to imply that there will not be one available for the Adam 2. When I sit outside reading while the paper trash burns, I still find this the most compelling feature of my Adam. How is this new display design going to deal with outside lighting?
I’m also in the camp that awaits the prototype…
Waiting is,
quicklogic??…seems so….maybe, maybe not
Good news.
For information on VEE, including the technology, current products in production with it, etc…, you can visit us at quicklogic.com/VEE, or at blog.quicklogic.com