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Products
PRODUCTS
Robots

Specialized robot designs for automation in 360 + 3D product photography

Software

Photo studio software for robots that easily integrates into existing workflows

Ghost Mannequins

Transparent & ghost mannequins for online fashion stores & clothing photos

iPhone Photography

Mobile iOS app to integrate iPhone camera control with PhotoRobot

Modules
Centerless Table
CENTERLESS TABLE

A universal, motorized turntable solution for shadow-free product photography

Turntable
TURNTABLE

A heavy-duty rotating turntable to support 360 product photography of heavy objects

MultiCam
MULTICAM

A multi-camera system for capturing multi-row 3D product photos with multiple cameras simultaneously

Case 850
CASE 850

The ultimate, portable robotic workstation for 360 product shots and photogrammetry 3D modeling

Cube
CUBE

One of the most versatile PhotoRobot devices, for standalone use or in combination with other robots

Robotic Arm
ROBOTIC ARM

A precise robot camera arm to add the 3rd dimension to your 360 product photography and multi-row spins

Frame
FRame

An all-in-one motorized turntable and robot camera arm for shadow-free 360 product photography and 3D modeling

Turning Platform
TURNING PLATFORM

A heavy-duty turntable photography solution for large and / or heavy products like furniture and machinery

Catwalk
CATWALK

A rotating 360 platform for capturing fashion videos and model product photography in 360 degrees

Carousel 5000
CAROUSEL 5000

A heavy-duty, motorized turntable for photography of automobiles, furniture, machinery, and other heavy objects

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Why PhotoRobot
Outputs
OUTPUTS
Output Types

Compare all automated photography output formats

Gallery

View example product imagery of various industries

GS1 Image Standards

Adhere to GS1 image capture standards automatically

PhotoRobot - 360° image creation
Applications

Explore example PhotoRobot outputs in 2D + 360 + 3D + 360 product video

Industries
Automotive
AUTOMOTIVE

Automotive 360 carousel systems for car dealerships, superstores, online retailers, and private sellers

Related robots
Carousel 5000
Electrical Goods
ELECTRICAL GOODS

360 photo turntable modules for automated product photography of electrical goods, tools, and appliances

Related robots
Case 850, Frame
Fashion
FASHION

Systems for 360 product photography of fashion products on mannequins, models, turntables, and more

Related robots
Case 850, Cube, Catwalk
Footwear
FOOTWEAR

Photo studio 360 turntable & flatlay workstations for high-speed 360 product photography of footwear

Related robots
Centerless Table, Case 850
GS1 & Packaged Goods
GS1 & Packaged Goods

OCR and automatic GS1 image capture features for photography of packaged goods and grocery products

Related robots
Centerless Table, Case 850
Household Goods
HOUSEHOLD GOODS

Heavy-duty rotating photography platforms for medium to large items or heavy household goods like furniture

Related robots
Turning Platform
Jewelry
JEWELRY

Automated studio systems with expansion accessories to facilitate photography of jewelry and luxury goods

Related robots
Case 850, Cube
Sporting Goods
SPORTING GOODS

Spin photography systems for sports equipment and items that cannot stand on their own like bicycles

Related robots
Turning Platform, Cube
Museum (Collection Items)
MUSEUM (COLLECTING ITEMS)

Photography systems to safely photograph & digitize museum and antique collection items for academia and research

Related robots
Case 850, Cube
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Why PhotoRobot
Workflow
Workflow
Production Line

Scan & Measure, Sort & Style, Robotize Capture, Post-Process, API & Publish

Production Workflow

From item intake & tracking to photography, content delivery and product return

Productivity

One-click automated production of 2D + 360 + 3D assets and 360 product video

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Why PhotoRobot
Resources
Resources
Tutorials

Find tutorials on our automated photography techniques

Manuals

Research PhotoRobot technical manuals & documentation

Academy

Train Your Studio Teams
From the Ground Up

Library
Blog

Read about PhotoRobot and the latest innovations

Videos

Watch video demos of PhotoRobot technology

FAQ

Find answers to customers’ most common questions

Downloads

Download the latest software versions & products

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Why PhotoRobot
Pricing
Pricing
Hardware Pricing

Pricing levels of PhotoRobot robotic workstations

Software Pricing

Pricing levels for local, cloud, and hybrid versions

Support Pricing

To meet different needs, we offer service plans

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Why PhotoRobot
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Glossary
Control unit

Control unit

Also known as robot controller, Robot Control Unit, controller. Category: Hardware

A control unit is the embedded computer that controls a robot's mechanical movements and its inputs and outputs. In a photography robot it positions the axes, fires the camera at the right moment and communicates with the controlling software over the network.

How PhotoRobot uses it

PhotoRobot designs its control units in-house. They are built into compact machines such as the CASE 850, or supplied as external units in a 19" rack (2U). Since generation 6 they run the Linux-based real-time PhotoRobot OS on an ARM processor; the active versions are G7, the M series and the CASE unit. Each unit has a built-in web server for updates, service and monitoring, connects only over LAN, and provides digital inputs and outputs, laser and DMX control, a safety stop and an API.

See on photorobot.com

  • PhotoRobot control units technical documentation
  • Control system overview

Related terms

  • PhotoRobot Locator: App that finds PhotoRobot control units on the local network and opens their web interface.
  • Rotary encoder: A sensor that reports the exact angular position of a rotating part, such as a turntable plate.
  • Motor driver: Electronics that supply power to a robot's motors; it determines how fast and precisely each axis can move.
  • DMX: A standard control protocol for lighting, used to set the intensity and colour of lights remotely.
  • Laser positioning: Lasers projected onto the turntable that show where to place a product so it sits at the centre of rotation.
  • API (application programming interface): A defined interface through which one piece of software can use the functions or data of another.

Where this term appears on photorobot.com

Mentioned on 50 pages of photorobot.com. The 20 most relevant:

  1. PhotoRobot Control Units - Technical Documentation (Page)
    The cloud system has an API for easy integration with the customer’s other systems, and the robot’s control unit also features an API for integration with third-party systems.
  2. PhotoRobot Networking Prerequisites & Configuration (Manual)
    Note that each PhotoRobot consists of both a mechanical part and a Control Unit.
  3. PhotoRobot Cube V5 / V6 / Compact User Manual (Manual)
    a) 360 Photo / Rotary Platform Setup: b) 360 / Rotary Suspension Mode: c) Rotating Mannequin Torso Holder: Note: The Control Unit of the Cube V5 and Cube V6 are a separate but integral component to…
  4. PhotoRobot Control System - Overview for System Offers (Manual)
    Find the different generations of the PhotoRobot Control Unit, basic features of the device, and technical resources for IT teams.
  5. PhotoRobot Robotic Turntable and Robotic Arm V8 User Guide (Manual)
    One of the main components of the Robotic Turntable with Robotic Arm V8 expansion is the Control Unit.
  6. PhotoRobot C850 & C1300 Turntable User Guide (Manual)
    Key components of the C-Class photo turntable systems include: The system Control Unit (an integral built-in device for control over C-Class modules) The robot body (strong steel frame with an open…
  7. PhotoRobot SynchroBox - Functionality & Setup User Guide (Manual)
    c) The Control Unit fires the camera shutter via shutter cable in advance.
  8. PhotoRobot Virtual Catwalk First Use Guide (Manual)
    Note that the location of the Control Unit is not inside of the Catwalk.
  9. PhotoRobot Centerless Table CL1300 & CL850 User Guide (Manual)
    The Control Unit of the Centerless Table is physically installed inside of the dedicated PhotoRobot HD rack in the front bottom-left shelf of the machine frame.
  10. First Use & Basic Testing of PhotoRobot Systems (Manual)
    Note: If the setup of the Control Unit is not in compliance, set it up first by locating the manual voltage selector on the back of the Control Unit.
  11. FOMEI LED ROLL - PhotoRobot User and Controls Guide (Manual)
    Meanwhile, the lightweight and separate control unit allows for easy use outdoors, mounted on tall light stands, or in less accessible spaces in general.
  12. PhotoRobot Carousel 5000 & Carousel 3000 User Guide (Manual)
    …connector dome, background / cyclorama connecting points, drive-up ramps, and the Control Unit.
  13. PhotoRobot MultiCam and Centerless Table Installation Guide (Manual)
    The main components for a MultiCam with Centerless Table installation include the parts for both devices, and their control units.
  14. PhotoRobot Frame Turntable Assembly & User Guide (Manual)
    The Frame robot consists of three main components: the Control Unit, the machine body, and the swinging arm.
  15. PhotoRobot Robotic Arm V8 Installation & Usage (Manual)
    Key components of the Robotic Arm V8 include: The system control unit (a separate device for controlling the Robotic Arm).
  16. Turning Platform User Guide - Standard, HT / RotoPower (Manual)
    Note that the Control Unit is a separate but integral part of the Turning Platform machine, powering on and providing control over the device.
  17. PhotoRobot CASE 850 Portable Studio User Guide (Manual)
    What's included with the Case 850 Robot? 850 mm glass plate (33,5 inches) Control unit Transparent background with holders Cross laser for precise product positioning Power and data cables Foldable…
  18. PhotoRobot Safety Information & Instructions (Manual)
    The latest Control Unit G7 is a separate but integral component to the following PhotoRobot systems: PhotoRobot Centerless Table Robotic Turntable Cube V5 / V6 MultiCam Robotic Arm V8 Turning Platform…
  19. PhotoRobot Carpet Studio with Carousel - User Guide (Manual)
    …dome (4) Drive-up ramps (5) Background / cyclorama connecting points (6) 19-inch rack Control Unit (7) Note: The 19-inch rack (7) houses the Control unit, which is installed horizontally in a…
  20. PhotoRobot Laser Centering & Alignment Guide (Manual)
    After connecting PhotoRobot to the network and powering on the Control Unit and laser-box, measure the distance between both sides of the table where the laser is mounted.

…and 30 more pages.

Browse the full glossary A–Z

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All non-English versions are machine translations. Please excuse any inaccuracies or nonsensical expressions. The only reliable source of information is the English language version.
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