Studio automation offers many advantages: Productions can be made more complex with less effort through automated processes and also offer the possibility to programme camera movements in advance, shifting much of the work before the actual production.
The camera operators are relieved by planned processes so that they can concentrate on a clean picture and the ideal creative realisation during the production instead of on the technology.
To further develop the automation of the broadcast workflow, KST has developed its own modular product CamBot.system.
Access to the entire workflow
Automation should not be limited to individual sub-aspects of the workflow, as this would limit synergies. With KST, the entire workflow can therefore be centralized in one system and jointly controlled, linked and scheduled.
Communication on the part of the software at the network level enables control by external devices. In this way, commands can be created which can then be executed by an image mixer (e.g. KAIROS). Dies fördert den Prozess der Automatisierung und bringt ihn auf die nächste Stufe. Suitable preparation reduces the production process to a high degree. In the following video you can see how KAIROS accesses CamBot.system.
Modularity
CamBot.system is modular and can therefore be configured individually according to customer requirements and intended use. For example, customers can implement only camera control with CamBot at the beginning and gradually use the system in other areas as well.
Development
The core of the CamBot.system software has already been developed and productively used by our Munich partner company for 20 years. The user interface has been ideally adapted to studio operation and user needs, making CamBot the ideal interface.
The further development of CamBot.system is dynamic and project-related. Therefore, KST also focuses development on individual and project-specific needs.
Dynamic automation
CamBot enables dynamic automation. Thus, the system ensures manual interventions in the pre-programmed matrices at any time, so that users can react spontaneously to unexpected situations. For example, camera movements can be lengthened or shortened live during the show, depending on how long the presenter stays at a position, without having to change or overwrite the programming.
User friendly interface
The control software CamBot.remote PRO offers extensive features, but can additionally be linked with third-party technology such as talent tracking. This allows users to use the full depth of control and programming in an intuitive and transparent way. But also new or inexperienced operators can work with the software at short notice due to its high user-friendliness, regardless of the complexity of the system to be controlled.
New views
The use of a robotic camera system, in addition to automation, repeatability and cleanliness of the runs, also offers possibilities in terms of dynamics within the production, because, depending on the system used, the cameras can be moved freely in space.
Planability
Any number of moves and presets can be stored in CamBot to be played back accurately and repeatedly as often as desired. Depending on the production, it is possible to completely dispense with camera operators with the help of detailed planning. Thanks to the possibilities of the software, it is still possible to intervene creatively - control remains with the operator.
Safety
A moving, robotic camera system, especially in a spatially limited studio environment, normally brings with it a non-negligible risk in the form of possible collisions.
Only collaborative robots, also called cobots, are used for the studios planned by KST. Collaborative robots are designed to work together with humans, for example on assembly lines, so they meet special safety criteria. This includes probably the most important function, the pausing of the movement at a pressure of > 2.5 kg against the robot arm. Therefore, they can work directly with humans without safety zones, allowing professional studio productions to be automated even in small spaces.
Furthermore, there is a precise, graphical live simulation of the controlled systems and the environment on the software side. The software automatically avoids collisions with the environment and the robots used, both during manual operation and during the calculation of trips.
Remote capability
CamBot.system offers as core a freely scalable and stackable server system, which controls the individual peripheral devices and manages the system. Both the servers among themselves and the clients, which form the operator-side interface with the control software and hardware, are connected via IP. This can be a local connection or a remote connection via the Internet. The system can therefore also be operated decentrally from several locations.
Module overview
CamBot. systems robot control remote mirror distribution audio switch lightning playout graphic track match
CamBot.control is the freely scalable and stackable server system that forms the core of CamBot.system. In addition to all performance-heavy processes, such as the calculation of kinematics and collision avoidance, the server architecture also manages the interfaces to the individual internal and external systems. CamBot.control offers exemplary redundancy possibilities, which ensure 24/7 operation without downtime. The server system can be freely deployed, and the communication between the servers is exclusively IP-based.
The CamBot.robot module includes the robotics integrated into the system. CamBot offers integration interfaces to almost every well-known manufacturer, so that all paths are open to the customer. (Stäubli, Kuka, Yaskawa, Doosan, Universal Robots, Electric Friends, Black Cam, Egripment und Panasonic)
Support for all popular professional camera systems, such as:
- Pan & tilt
- PTZ
- Robot
- Cranes
- Drones
- Spidercams
Here, the software not only serves as a “remote control” for the respective controller, but also calculates and controls the entire kinematics. This allows maximum influence on the type of movement and cleanliness of the system.
Depending on the accuracy of the system, CamBot also offers the possibility to generate tracking data for use in AR and VR systems.
With CamBot.light, complex lighting systems and sceneries can be integrated into the system and controlled centrally. Depending on the light settings or even the movements of individual effects and spots can be naturally co-controlled by the operator and fully linked to the rest of the overall system.
CamBot.remote consists of the user software CamBot.remote Production (Pro for short) and the hardware panels RP1 and RP2, but depending on customer requirements, various third-party systems are also available. For example, the Panasonic AW-RP150 or the Kairos operator panel can be used for operation. The operator station connects as a client to the central CamBot.control server system. The number of server or camera systems as well as the number of clients is unlimited.
Accordingly, it is also possible to handle large multi-studio and multi-direction installations as a fully integrated overall system. Thereby CamBot offers flexible user management and pooling functions to manage the overall system efficiently and to give the respective operator access only to the elements assigned to him.
A separate software variant CamBot.remote PTZ was developed especially for the use of PTZ cameras.
CamBot.matching allows the control of all camera-side functions. Hereby the functions of a conventional RCP are taken over by the software and can be stored preset-related and controlled automatically. It is therefore possible, for example, during a camera movement from indoor to outdoor areas, to seamlessly track the aperture, white balance or other settings of the camera as a controlled, programmable axis.
With CamBot.graphics, a feature-rich interface to on-air and VR graphics systems, such as Reality by Zero Density, has been created. Thereby it becomes possible to automate and control all aspects and settings of the graphics from CamBot. This can be prepared animations of AR objects, the manual control of AR objects themselves or the content on background screens. It is also possible to use pure virtual cameras like real cameras with manual control and programming.
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