Exactly. For a custom imaging pipeline, constructed via application-specific design, every element that is a black box invalidates the measurement aspect of the

Exactly. For a custom imaging pipeline, constructed via application-specific design, every element that is a black box invalidates the measurement aspect of the output. The sensor control system is an intimate part of that system. For example, machine vision cameras typically allow alteration of imaging parameters, but at the cost of lost time meaning dropped frames. So rapid iteration to convergence, or rapid cycling thorough parameter settings, means that the device might go down to 5fps, or 1fps. Magic Lantern (collaborators with AXIOM) corrected exactly this kind of defect for certain Cannon DSLRs, among many other things. It is possible to partner with sensor or camera makers, in order to get the required specs and level of integration, but it is extraordinarily expensive. And only a handful of companies can do this. For the individual, it's out of the question to partner with a camera maker. So for the interested individual, AXIOM provides a real benefit. And for commercial development, companies like FLIR Integrated Imaging Solutions (formerly Point Grey Research) exist, but still lock down drivers and control firmware. And you can typically only afford to partner with one or two camera manufacturers, whereas in this case all that overhead is gone and you can just use the device directly. It's a small market, but if you're in it, this kind of project is a great development.