Reading it on EV3

Warning

EV3 verified on hardware (2026-11-03, shipping firmware v1.0-261101): on the stock EV3 firmware (EV3-G / EV3 Classroom / clev3r) all 13 camera modes were read slot by slot and the EV3-G infrared blocks read the camera; Pybricks v4 examples 1~4 pass on the real EV3; ev3dev / EV3 MicroPython v2 are supported (the mode table matches the LEGO infrared sensor item by item).

The EV3 edition cannot take commands from the hub: its format is exactly the same as the LEGO infrared sensor, so the EV3 (stock firmware, Pybricks, ev3dev) cannot send MBC commands; switch camera modes in the camera MENU. To send commands from a program, use SPIKE, Arduino, etc.

On the EV3 the SharpShot Vision (EV3 edition) shows up as a stock LEGO Infrared Sensor, so EV3-G, EV3 Classroom and EV3 MicroPython (Pybricks) read it with the infrared sensor blocks or modes; no extension needed. Every slot is in the value reference: EV3, full programs in the EV3 examples.

Wiring

1. Plug the camera into port 1~4 with an EV3 cable; it is powered by the brick.
2. The top-left corner of the camera screen shows the host name: green = connected, red = disconnected.
3. Pick the camera mode and sub-option in the camera's MODE menu (see "On the camera" on the product page).

The three infrared modes

• Every value is an integer −127~100. Switching modes takes about 1.1 s (the same for the LEGO infrared sensor), so don't keep switching between modes 1 and 2 in the same loop; decide which one you need.
• Mode 5 is the device ID (you can ignore it).

Decoding

• Positions use an 8×6 grid: reading = X×10 + Y, so X = reading ÷ 10 (integer part, 18), Y = remainder of ÷10 (16). On EV3, Y is small at the bottom (the bottom row of the frame is 1). 0 = not seen.
• Area: 0~100 %, 0 = not seen.
• Hue (color at points, color order): positive 0100 = hue code × 100 ÷ 240 (red 0, yellow ≈17, green ≈33, cyan 50, blue ≈67, purple ≈83); negative = black / white / gray: −1−8 white → gray, −9~−15 black.
• Line following: offsets, angle and edges are sent as they are and can be negative (negative = line on the left).

Example: Color tracking ③ Standard (4 colors XY + area), all in mode 1:

EV3-G / EV3 Classroom

• EV3-G: Infrared Sensor block → Measure → Proximity reads mode 0; Beacon with channel 1~4 gives the "heading" and "proximity" outputs, which are the heading and distance above; Remote with a channel reads mode 2.
• EV3 Classroom: use the Infrared Sensor proximity, beacon heading / beacon distance (pick the channel) and remote blocks, same mapping.
• Convert the readings as in "Decoding" above; in EV3-G use the Math block's divide and Modulo.

EV3 MicroPython (Pybricks)

Read the raw modes with LUMPDevice (EV3 MicroPython v2 works the same way). With the camera set to Color tracking ③ Standard:

#!/usr/bin/env pybricks-micropython
from pybricks.iodevices import LUMPDevice
from pybricks.parameters import Port
from pybricks.tools import wait

cam = LUMPDevice(Port.S1)        # camera on port 1

print("camera mode", cam.read(0)[0])   # mode 0: e.g. 13 = Color tracking ③ Standard

while True:
    v = cam.read(1)              # mode 1: 8 beacon values
    pos, area = v[0], v[1]       # color 1: X×10+Y, area %
    if pos:
        print("color 1: X", pos // 10, "Y", pos % 10, "area", area, "%")
    else:
        print("color 1: not seen")
    wait(100)

In sub-option ①, colors 9 and up are in mode 2: cam.read(2) (4 values).

Camera mode 5 object detection

The camera sorts the objects in the picture from largest to smallest (object 1 = largest) and gives each an object code = color × 10 + shape (13 = a triangle of target 1, 0 = none). Shapes: 0 other, 1 circle, 2 ellipse, 3 triangle, 4 square, 5 rectangle, 6 pentagon, 7 hexagon, 8 star, 9 trapezoid. X, Y is the centroid of the object; only target colors 1~8 count. Mode number 51 = ① Object list, 52 = ② Object detail. Split the code: color = code ÷ 10 (whole number), shape = remainder of code ÷ 10.

• Positions are the same 8×6 cell X×10+Y (Y bottom = small).
• Angle: the camera sends "(angle + 1) ÷ 2"; the value × 2 is 0~179 degrees (within 1 degree; long side pointing right = 0, turning toward the bottom of the picture is positive).
• Mode 52 is all in mode 1, so the loop never switches modes; in 51 object 5 and the object count are in mode 2 (about +1.1 s).

#!/usr/bin/env pybricks-micropython
from pybricks.iodevices import LUMPDevice
from pybricks.parameters import Port
from pybricks.tools import wait

cam = LUMPDevice(Port.S1)        # camera set to Object detection ② Object detail (mode number 52)

while True:
    v = cam.read(1)              # mode 1 beacon: object 1 code, position, area, angle ÷ 2; object 2 the same 4
    code, pos, area, half = v[0], v[1], v[2], v[3]
    if code:                     # code 0 = no object
        print("object 1 code", code, "color", code // 10, "shape", code % 10,
              "X cell", pos // 10, "Y cell", pos % 10, "area", area, "% angle about", min(179, half * 2))
    else:
        print("no object")
    wait(100)

The MBC library MBC_UniCam_EV3.py is easier: object(i), object_xy(i), object_area(i), object_angle(i) (already × 2), object_count(); see EV3 example 4. In EV3-G / EV3 Classroom read "heading" and "proximity" as in the table and split them with divide and modulo.

Slot tables and examples

• Value reference: EV3 (one table per camera mode · sub-option)
• EV3 example programs
• Hue codes, grid conversion: product page

FAQ

• The EV3 shows an Infrared Sensor? That's expected: the camera emulates a stock LEGO sensor, so the stock blocks read it.
• Mode 0 shows a different mode than I want? Change it in the camera's MODE menu; the EV3 can only read it, not switch it.
• Values freeze for a second or so now and then? Switching infrared modes takes about 1.1 s; read the same mode as much as you can.