picam

Raspberry Pi Camera image collector and processing server

Introduction

Collect images from a pi-camera on the pi, send those images to a remote server for storage. Maximum resolution for a Logitech QuickCam Pro is 800 x 600, the camera software used, however, is not limited to the QuickCam Pro.

To enable the oled screen, enable I2C in raspi-config.

Dependencies

Software to install includes:

• golang
• grpc libraries
• python libraries
  • apt-get install build-essential python3-pip python3-dev python3-smbus
  • apt-get install python3-pil
  • pip3 install Adafruit-Blinka
  • pip3 install adafruit-circuitpython-ssd1306

Hardware required:

• raspberry pi - Tested on at least pi4.
• usb webcam - Tested, but probably any usb cam.

Normal Operations

Golang support to query the pi camera is not terrific, so for now, poll the camera with:

• imager.sh

and collect images from the storage location with the client-server:

• client_main

Actuation of the imager.sh is done through cron:

  # m h  dom mon dow   command
  # Run the image collection script.
  * * * * * /home/pi/scripts/git/picam/client/imager.sh >> /tmp/capture.log 2>&1
  # Remove stale/old images from the collection bin (/tmp/camstore)
  1 * * * * find /tmp/camstore -type f -ctime +1 -exec rm {} \; >> /tmp/cleanup.log 2>&1 

The client_main runs at system startup from a systemd file, included in the client_main. The server process similarly runs at system startup on the server, using a systemd file.

For oled display usage, make a cron entry that simply runs the oled.py script every hour.

0 * * * *  /home/pi/scripts/git/picam/client/oled.py >> /tmp/oled.log 2>&1

Be good.