Raw2Event: Converting Raw Frame Camera into Event Camera

Abstract: Event cameras offer unique advantages such as high temporal resolution, low latency, and high dynamic range, making them more and more popular for vision tasks under challenging light conditions. However, their high cost, limited resolution, and lack of features such as autofocus hinder their broad adoption, particularly for early-stage development and prototyping. In this work, we present Raw2Event, a complete hardware-software system that enables real-time event generation from low-cost raw frame-based cameras. By leveraging direct access to raw Bayer data and bypassing traditional image signal processors (ISP), our system is able to utilize the full potential of camera hardware, delivering higher dynamic range, higher resolution, and more faithful output than RGB-based frame-to-event converters. Built upon the DVS-Voltmeter model, Raw2Event features a configurable simulation framework optimized for deployment on embedded platforms. We further design a data acquisition pipeline that supports synchronized recording of raw, RGB, and event streams, facilitating downstream evaluation and dataset creation. Experimental results show that Raw2Event can generate event streams closely resembling those from real event cameras, while benefiting from higher resolution and autofocus capabilities. The system also supports user-intuitive parameter tuning, enabling flexible adaptation to various application requirements. Finally, we deploy the system on a Raspberry Pi for real-time operation, providing a scalable and cost-effective solution for event-based vision research and early-stage system development. The codes are available online: https://anonymous.4open.science/r/raw2event-BFF2/README.md.