Introduction to Holoscan Sensor Bridge
What Is Holoscan Sensor Bridge?
NVIDIA Holoscan Sensor Bridge (HSB) provides an FPGA-based interface for low-latency sensor data processing using GPUs. The FPGA connects to sensor interfaces, acquires their data and packages it for transmission over Ethernet to a host computer. The host application uses the GPU to process that data. HSB also provides software for receiving the data and sending configuration or control commands back to connected devices.
HSB is part of the Holoscan platform. It connects the physical devices to the computing system, while Holoscan SDK (HSDK) provides the tools to build the application that processes the data. Uses include camera acquisition, radar and ultrasound processing, robotics, and scientific instruments.
How the Pieces Fit Together
The bridge can be a separate evaluation board, an adapter for an existing sensor, or part of a device design. Supported sensors and commands depend on the chosen hardware and software integration.
The upper arrows show sensor data moving toward the application. The lower arrows show commands moving back toward the devices. Available interfaces and accelerated data paths depend on the selected hardware.
Hardware, Software and HSDK
| Piece | Role |
|---|---|
| Sensors and other devices | Produce measurements or respond to commands. Examples include cameras, radar, ultrasound equipment and actuators. |
| HSB hardware | Connects to the device interfaces and transports data over Ethernet. The FPGA-based reference design uses programmable logic to acquire sensor data and package it for transmission. |
| HSB host software | Runs on the receiving computer. It provides device configuration APIs and receiver operators that bring the incoming data into an HSDK graph. |
| HSDK application | Connects acquisition to processing, AI, visualization or control. Developers combine HSB operators with other modules and their own algorithms. |
| Host computer and network interface | Supply the CPU, GPU and network connection. Compatible accelerated network hardware can deliver data directly into GPU memory; other configurations use the host's network stack. |
When Is HSB Useful?
- Live data with low delay: bring continuous sensor streams into processing and AI applications.
- Distributed devices: connect sensors and control endpoints across an Ethernet network, with computing located where the system needs it.
- Coordinated measurements: use supported precision time protocol (PTP) hardware to timestamp data and coordinate sensor behavior.
- Custom sensor integration: adapt the reference designs and host software to the interfaces and data formats your application requires.
A Camera Example
A camera captures a frame. The bridge receives the sensor output and sends it over Ethernet. An HSB receiver operator brings that data into the host application, where HSDK operators can prepare the image, run an AI model and display the result. The application can also adjust a camera setting, such as exposure, through the HSB device APIs.
The existing guides in this wiki demonstrate a Jetson AGX Orin, a Lattice-based bridge and IMX274 cameras. They describe an older software configuration. For current supported combinations of HSB, HSDK, host hardware and system software, consult NVIDIA's HSB documentation.
Start Exploring
- Hardware Connection: identify the equipment and connect the example system.
- Bring Up Process: prepare the host and software environment.
- Running Demo: capture and display a camera stream.
For application concepts, see the HSDK introduction. For the full HSB architecture and integration options, continue to NVIDIA's HSB overview and the HSB developer guide.