nVision Release 2016.1 controls the liquid lenses made by Optotune. Focus can be changed continuously and quickly with these lenses. Driving the liquid lens is completely integrated into nVision and allows control within graphical programs. Applications of liquid lenses are quality control, code-reading or measuring, among many others.
One or multiple lenses are moved along the optical axis to focus a conventional objective. The required guides and motors limit the overall size, response time, robustness and durability. Changing the radius of the liquid lens by a few micrometers has the same optical effect as moving a lens by some centimeters, which is responsible for the quick response times of a few milliseconds only. The liquid lenses can be mounted between camera and objective or also in front of the objective.
Many applications exist for the interesting technology in industrial image processing. Mechanical solutions to measure objects of varying height are unnecessary when electrically controlled liquid lenses are used. The fast focus change allows implementing image-based autofocus and is responsible for high throughput in inspection tasks.