DFRobot, a company known for making fun tech tools for learning and building projects, has released the Huskylens 2. This new AI camera is a small device that helps machines “see” and understand the world around them. It has a special chip for smart thinking, a touch screen for easy control, and over 20 built-in programs ready to use right away. Best of all, it costs only $75, making it affordable for students, hobby builders, and anyone starting with smart tech.
The Huskylens 2 is like a smart eye for robots or gadgets. It can spot faces, track moving objects, recognize colors, or even detect hand gestures – all without needing a computer or internet connection. This means you can use it anywhere, like in a classroom or workshop, and it works on its own. It’s an upgrade from the first Huskylens, which was popular for simple projects, but now it’s faster and more powerful.
At the heart of the Huskylens 2 is a small chip called the Kendryte K230. This chip has a built-in “brain” part that handles smart tasks quickly – up to 6 trillion simple calculations per second.
This lets the camera process what it sees in real time, like telling a robot to follow a line on the floor or stop when it spots a red traffic light color. The camera itself is a 2-megapixel sensor that you can swap out if needed, so it’s easy to fix or upgrade.
One of the best parts is the 2.4-inch touch screen. It’s colorful and clear, with a size of 640 by 480 pixels, so you can see live video from the camera and tap to change settings.
No more plugging into a computer – just touch the screen to pick a program or adjust how it works. It also has a microphone to hear sounds and a small 1-watt speaker to play beeps or simple audio feedback. Plus, there are colorful LED lights that glow to show what’s happening, like when it detects something.
The Huskylens 2 comes loaded with more than 20 ready-to-use programs, called models. These cover everyday needs, like:
- Recognizing faces to say hello to friends.
- Tracking objects so a robot arm can pick up toys.
- Spotting hand poses for touch-free controls.
- Sorting items by color or shape.
You don’t have to program from scratch – just select one and go. But if you want to get creative, you can add your own custom programs using tools like YOLO, which helps teach the camera new tricks. It even connects to big smart chat systems (like those that answer questions) through a special service called MCP. For example, point it at your lunch, and it could tell a chat bot what’s on your plate and suggest healthy eating tips.
Setting it up is simple. The device uses a USB-C cable for power – it only needs 1.5 to 3 watts, so a small battery pack works fine. There’s a slot for an SD card to save videos or data, and 8GB of built-in storage plus 1GB of memory to run everything smoothly.
It connects to other gadgets easily through ports like I2C and UART, which are like simple wires for talking to things like Arduino boards, Raspberry Pi computers, or even small screens like micro:bit. DFRobot says it works great with robots for school projects or fun inventions.
This camera is perfect for education and play. Teachers can use it to show kids how machines learn to see, without complicated steps. Builders can add it to home projects, like a smart door that knows who’s coming or a toy that follows your hand. It’s tough enough for classrooms – safe and certified for kids – and small enough to fit on a robot car.
Li Ji, head of DFRobot’s AI team, said: “The Huskylens 2 makes smart vision easy and fun for everyone. With its touch screen and ready programs, you can start creating in minutes, not hours. At $75, it’s a door to AI for schools and makers everywhere.”
You can buy the Huskylens 2 now from DFRobot’s website or stores like Amazon for $75. It comes with guides, sample codes, and a wiki full of project ideas. An upcoming “Model Hub” will add even more free programs for things like factory sorting or animal spotting.
If you’ve ever wanted to build something that “sees” like a human but without the hassle, the Huskylens 2 is your starting point. It’s cheap, simple, and full of surprises – grab one and let your ideas come to life!