OpenMV kicked off 2026 with a substantial software update and a clearer look at where the platform is headed next.
The headline is OpenMV Firmware v4.8.1 paired with OpenMV IDE v4.8.1, which adds multi-sensor capabilities, expands event-camera support, and lays the groundwork for a major debugging and connectivity upgrade coming with firmware v5.
If you’re building edge-vision systems on OpenMV Cams, here are the product-focused updates worth knowing.
Firmware + IDE v4.8.1: the biggest changes
OpenMV’s latest release is OpenMV Firmware v4.8.1 with OpenMV IDE v4.8.1:
New CSI module (multi-sensor support)
OpenMV introduced a new, class-based CSI module designed to support multiple camera sensors at the same time. This is now the preferred approach going forward.
The older sensor module is now deprecated. With v4.8.1, OpenMV recommends updating code to use the CSI module; no new features will be added to the legacy sensor module.
This multi-sensor work also enables official support for OpenMV’s multispectral thermal module—using an RGB camera + FLIR® Lepton® together.
OpenMV also teased what’s next in this direction: dual RGB and RGB + event-vision configurations are planned (only targeted for the N6).
GENX320: event-camera mode arrives
OpenMV added an event-vision mode for the GENX320 event camera. In this mode, the camera can deliver per-pixel event updates with microsecond timestamps—useful for applications like ultra-fast motion analysis and vibration measurement.
New USB debug protocol (foundation for firmware v5)
Firmware v4.8.1 and IDE v4.8.1 set the stage for a new USB Debug protocol planned for OpenMV firmware v5.0.0. OpenMV’s stated goals are better performance and reliability in the IDE connection—plus significantly more capability than the current link.
The new protocol introduces channels that can be registered in Python, enabling high-throughput data transfer (OpenMV cites >15MB/s over USB on some cameras). It also supports custom transports, making it possible to debug/control a camera over alternative links (UART/serial, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, CAN, SPI, I2C, etc.) depending on your implementation.
Related tooling: OpenMV Python (desktop CLI / tooling) and the OpenMV forums.
Universal TinyUSB support
OpenMV is moving “almost all” camera models to TinyUSB as part of the USB-stack standardization effort. They cite benefits including better behavior in configurations involving the N6’s NPU and Octal SPI flash.
A growing ML library (MediaPipe + YOLO family)
OpenMV says it has worked through much of its plan to support “smartphone-level” AI models on the upcoming N6 and AE3. They highlight support for running models from Google MediaPipe, YOLOv2, YOLOv5 YOLOv8 and more.
Roboflow integration for training custom models
OpenMV now has an operable workflow for training custom models using Roboflow, with an emphasis on training custom YOLOv8 models that can run onboard once the N6 and AE3 are in market.
Other notable improvements
- Frame buffer management improvements with a new queuing system.
- Embedded code profiler support in firmware + IDE (requires a profiling build to use).
- Automated unit testing in GitHub Actions; OpenMV cites testing Cortex-M7 and Cortex-M55 targets using QEMU to catch regressions (including SIMD correctness).
- Image quality improvements for the PAG7936 and PS5520 sensors, plus numerous bug fixes across the platform.
Kickstarter hardware: N6 and AE3 status
On the hardware front, OpenMV says it is now manufacturing the OpenMV N6 and OpenMV AE3, check out their Kickstarter for ongoing updates.
What to do now
- If you’re actively developing on OpenMV, consider updating to v4.8.1 and planning your code migration from the deprecated module to the new CSI module.
- If you’re exploring event-based vision, the new GENX320 event mode is the key software enablement to watch.
- Keep an eye on firmware v5 for the new debug protocol—especially if you need higher-throughput streaming, custom host/device channels, or alternative debug transports.
