OmniTek offers an IP and design consultancy service which specialises in FPGA, electronics and software design for video and image processing applications in the broadcast, medical imaging, industrial and defence markets.
Our primary goal is to provide a pool of expertise in all aspects of video and image processing design. Our company philosophy is that excellence in design starts with outstandingly talented individuals who are motivated by innovative design. The fruits of this philosophy have been demonstrated many times through successful design contracts performed for? |
companies throughout the world on complex products. In 2008 OmniTek were awarded the Queen’s Award for Innovation.
OmniTek is also a manufacturer of products for the broadcast market and has MRP based production and test facilities available for consultancy work. Being a manufacturer has several significant advantages for our consultancy work. Selling our test and measurement products into broadcast and post production facilities gives us a clear view of industry trends. Also, being a manufacturer gives us a feet-on-the-ground outlook to the practicalities of product design. |
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Core Skills
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Design and Implementation of video and image processing algorithms in hardware, firmware, and software
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FPGA application development in VHDL and Verilog
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Printed Circuit Board design using the latest semiconductor devices and CAD tools
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Algorithm development and DSP mathematics
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In-depth knowledge of design standards for broadcast, medical and military systems
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PCI Express system design
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C / C++ / C# / Java software design for PC and embedded systems
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Windows and Linux OS software including driver design
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3D Graphics, including GPU Programming, Open GL, D3D etc.
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ARM and x86 architecture
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Turnkey product design including prototyping, documentation and manufacture
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OmniTek is a Certified Member of the Altera Design Services Network and Xilinx Alliance Program. Our staff are highly experienced and have been individually certified to ensure comprehensive FPGA architecture knowledge and that all designs are efficiently implemented to take advantage of the latest technology. |
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Professional Broadcast & Medical Imaging Monitors
OmniTek have designed several professional broadcast and medical imaging displays based around our video processing pipeline. These have been used in professional applications which demand the highest image quality. In addition to this video pipeline, OmniTek are also able to include video monitoring features from our large monitoring IP portfolio.
These projects typically include embedded software consultancy, with recent projects requiring both Linux control software and drivers for ARM based SoC platforms. |
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Stereo 3D Video Analysis
Seeing a market requirement for a proper appreciation of how 3D video is viewed, we developed a novel algorithm for real-time calculation of 3D depth from a stereo pair (left eye, right eye) of images. The example display shows colour-coded depths extracted from a stereo image.
When implementing real time algorithms, we assess the ideal hardware implementation in CPU, GPU or FPGA and have much experience of the trade-off between the three. For the 3D analysis, we chose a CPU + GPU implementation for rapid prototyping and algorithm validation, with a view to subsequent FPGA implementation. |
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Digital Video Effects & Switcher IP
OmniTek staff have undertaken a number of DVE switcher designs based around our DVE IP.
The 'Mugen' DVE IP cores were developed to meet the needs for Broadcast Switcher manufacturers who need advanced Video Effects Processing.
The Digital Video Switcher remains at the heart of any live Studio or OB production, and requires many levels of effects processing to be available instantly to the operator. Processing includes Effects (ranging from 2D Size/Position, 3D Perspective, to Warp Effects such as Page Turns & Ripples with realistic Lighting, and also 3D Borders, and Trail Store effects), Wipe Generation, Chroma Keying, Linear Keying, Multi-layering, as well as real-time ARM-based control software.
The OmniTek team has provided such IP to many of the world's leading Switcher Manufacturers. |
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Video Over IP
OmniTek has undertaken and number of Video Over IP projects for broadcasters, defence contractors and medical equipment manufacturers.
The basic sequence of operations is similar for all Video Over IP applications. Video is ingested from a standard live source such as SDI, HDMI, Composite etc. Depending on the particular application, this video may first require to be de-interlaced and/or re-sized and noise levels reduced, before being converted into one of the standard compressed image formats such as MPEG or JPEG 2000. Alternatively, video may be transmitted uncompressed. Finally, prior to transmission, the video needs to be further encoded in line with the selected transmission protocol such as SMPTE 2022 for Broadcast or DEF STAN 00-82 for defence applications.
The decode end is essentially the reverse of the encode, video is unpacked from the Ethernet data and converted back to a live uncompressed stream. |
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Feature/Motion Tracking Algorithm
Our client for this project had developed an algorithm in Matlab for detecting image "blobs" such as the markers shown in the accompanying illustration and tracking their motion. This algorithm has a range of applications such as tracking facial features or examining the motion of race horse legs.
OmniTek's task was to come up with optimal implementation on an FPGA. The illustration shows real-time tracking of face markers on the final FPGA-based hardware platform. |
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Resizer and De-interlacer Algorithms
A recurrent theme in our video consultancy is video conversion / processing / display pipelines. These typically require the implementation of deinterlace, resize, gamma correction, dither etc. algorithms.
Over the years we have honed optimum FPGA implementations of these algorithms that can be adapted to trade-off of resource count against image quality. In particular, we have designed a highly compact, edge and motion-adaptive de-interlacer and have further extended this to include motion-tracking compensation. |
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Streaming PCI Express DMA Controller
OmniTek have a long history of PCI Express based product design and offer an advanced DMA controller which is optimised for the Altera PCI Express hard macro. In addition to efficient multi-channel memory transfers, it also uniquely supports streaming data transfer (ideal for video and audio) and peer-to-peer support. We have used this IP in a range of consultancy products including video capture and playout, video disk recorders, colour grading systems etc. |
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“Altera has engaged with OmniTek to offer a scalable, 1080p video streaming solution. The combination of OmniTek’s expertise in A/V processing and IT technologies with Altera’s industry leading silicon and video framework provides our customers with the ability to get to market in the shortest time possible.”
Arun Iyengar, Senior Director of Altera’s Communication Business Unit |
“OmniTek have worked on a number of FPGA design projects for Barco which have been of excellent design quality and delivered on schedule. In one design OmniTek provided an FPGA replacement of an existing video ASIC which resulted in a more flexible design. Being an FPGA, we can easily adapt this design to address specific customer without any hardware re-design”
Carl Hemeryck, Engineering Manager, Barco Medical Systems
“Let me also take this opportunity to thank OmniTek for the great work done. We were very pleased with the results, cooperation and support we received from you.”
Shai Bard, Engineering Manager, Harmonic |
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