Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Abstracts from the recently concluded SPW2026 in Naples, Italy are now available online:

https://spw2026.org/programme

https://spw2026.org/poster-session-1

https://spw2026.org/poster-session-2 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Link: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260511959181/en/indie-to-Acquire-CMOS-Image-Sensor-Product-Line-from-ams-OSRAM

indie to Acquire CMOS Image Sensor Product Line from ams OSRAM 

ALISO VIEJO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--indie Semiconductor (Nasdaq: INDI), an automotive solutions innovator, has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire the fabless CMOS image sensor group from ams OSRAM AG for a total consideration of 40 million euros.

With primary operations in Belgium and Portugal, this product line includes intelligent, high‑performance CMOS image sensors for a broad range of industrial, automation, and physical artificial intelligence (AI) applications. This portfolio of products, IP, and designs aligns with indie’s automotive ADAS sensing solutions and further strengthens the Company’s multimodal sensing capabilities across radar, vision, LiDAR, and ultrasonic.

“By integrating ams’ CMOS imagers with our sensor‑fusion hardware and perception software, we’re able to deliver unparalleled sensing systems for next‑generation autonomous machines, including emerging applications such as humanoid robots, cobots, and AMRs,” said Mark Tyndall, executive vice president of corporate development and investor relations at indie. “This unique carve-out extends our position in sensor‑fusion technology and significantly expands our portfolio of GaN SLED light‑source solutions. Together, these technologies broaden our offerings, opens new customer opportunities, and positions indie to capture a larger share of the rapidly emerging physical AI market.”

Image sensors are a key component of sensor-rich platforms within high-performance visual applications such as humanoids, cobots, and industrial automation. As noted by Research and Markets, the image sensor market is forecasted to grow to over $40 billion by 2030. This market growth is being driven by rising autonomy, safety regulations, and increased adoption of AI-based vision ADAS systems, as well as applications that require multimodal sensing, low-latency, and high-resolution.

The consideration includes a cash payment of 35 million euros paid at closing, and a 5 million euros vendor debt note provided by ams OSRAM. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. It is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026 and be immediately accretive.  

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Yahoo news July 28, 2026 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/sony-fujifilm-plants-evacuate-7-160448320.html

Sony, Fujifilm plants evacuate as 7.1-magnitude earthquake hits Japan's image sensor hub 

Sony press release July 31, 2026
 
https://www.sony-semicon.com/en/info/2026/2026073101.html

Status of Sony Semiconductor Solutions Group Manufacturing Operations Affected by 2026 Kumamoto Earthquakes (Second Update) 

The current status of the impact on our operations from the earthquake that occurred in the Kumamoto region on July 28, 2026, is as follows:

Sony Semiconductor Manufacturing Corporation's Kumamoto Technology Center (located in Kikuyo-machi, Kumamoto Prefecture), which temporarily was halted after the earthquake, has completed safety inspections of its buildings and facilities, and has been carrying out recovery work. As a result, the site is scheduled to resume operations in stages beginning August 4, 2026. The Kumamoto Technology Center is expected to return to its pre-earthquake operating level by mid-August 2026.

Further updates will be provided promptly should any new information become available.

Digital Camera World July 31, 2026 

https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/cameras/an-earthquake-has-halted-production-at-the-worlds-largest-camera-sensor-hub-sony-confirms-could-camera-shipments-be-delayed

The largest image sensor plant from Sony – the world’s biggest manufacturer of image sensors – has halted production after an earthquake hit Japan’s Kumamoto Prefecture on July 28. As of July 31, production still has not resumed, Sony said during an earnings report. 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

 

 

200MP camera sensors are everywhere on modern smartphones, but are all 200MP cameras the same?

In this video, we explain why smartphone manufacturers keep adopting 200MP sensors, then run blind camera tests featuring Samsung HP3, HP5, HP9 series, Sony LYTIA 901 and SmartSens SCC80XS. We compare official specifications with real-world daylight and low-light lab samples to reveal how sensor hardware, ISP tuning and optical modules affect image quality.

A larger sensor does not always produce better photos. Final imaging performance depends on the entire camera system instead of sensor specs alone. Let’s check the actual gaps between these mainstream 200MP sensors.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

iDS published a YouTube video on CMOS image sensor basics:

 

This video provides a comprehensive introduction to modern CMOS sensor technology and explains how hardware innovations have transformed image quality, efficiency, and performance. You’ll learn why pixel sizes continue to shrink, how this impacts imaging results, and which techniques manufacturers use to compensate for these limitations.

The presentation covers key advancements such as microlenses, backside illumination, deep trench isolation, wafer stacking, and smart features like event‑based imaging and sensor‑level AI (Artifcial Intelligence). You’ll also gain insights into image pipelines, FPGA (Field  Programmable Gate Array) versus ISP (Internet Service Provider) (Image Signal Processor) processing, and why system‑level design decisions matter for real‑world machine vision applications. This is essential knowledge for anyone evaluating sensor performance or designing imaging systems that require reliability, speed, and high‑quality results.

Topics covered

    Trends driving pixel size reduction and sensor scaling
    Hardware innovations such as BSI, micro lenses, and deep trench isolation
    Improvements in quantum efficiency and dynamic range
    Image pipelines with FPGA, ISP, and host‑based processing
    Smart sensor features including event‑based imaging and AI at the edge
    Cost, yield, and design considerations for modern CMOS sensors

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

[News from May 2026]

https://eyeo-imaging.com/knowledge/news/eyeo-raises-e40-million-to-fix-the-flaw-that-has-kept-every-camera-70-blind/ 

eyeo raises €40 million to fix the flaw that has kept every camera 70% blind

 Eindhoven (Netherlands), May 11, 2026 – eyeo today announced it has raised €40 million in Series A funding, bringing eyeo’s total funding to €55 million. The round is led by Innovation Industries, with participation from existing investors imec.xpand, Invest-NL Deep Tech Fund, QBIC fund, High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) and Brabant Development Agency (BOM).

eyeo has developed the world’s most advanced nanophotonic color-splitting technology, redefining imaging for consumer, industrial, XR, smart city and mobile applications with color-splitting photonics technology that triples light sensitivity and breaks sensor resolution limits, delivering unprecedented picture quality, color accuracy and resolution.

The fresh funding will accelerate eyeo’s sensor design capabilities, deepen its OEM partner ecosystem, and drive commercial deployment across a $30 billion global imaging market.

A new era for imaging

All seven billion image sensors sold each year, across smartphones, autonomous vehicles, XR devices, industrial machines, smart cities and more, share a fundamental flaw: color filters work by rejection, blocking red, green and blue light in turn and discarding 70% of the light in the process.

eyeo’s Nanophotonic Color Splitting (NCOS®) technology platform works differently. Instead of filtering light, it splits it: separating light into its colors and guiding every photon directly to the pixel where it belongs. Backed by 26 patents, the NCOS® platform triples light sensitivity and breaks resolution limits. This breakthrough approach unlocks picture quality, color accuracy, resolution, and cost efficiency, which was never-before possible.

Compatible with existing CMOS sensor platforms, eyeo’s technology unlocks sub-micron pixels with 3x the light for ultra-compact, high-performance imaging, removing the trade-off between image quality and sensor size that has constrained product design for decades.

From breakthrough science to production-ready sensors

This Series A round marks a decisive step forward in eyeo’s commercialization journey. Building on the foundation established and proven at imec over the last seven years, multiple tier one customer engagements, and successful process integration at a commercial foundry, eyeo is now investing in the full in-house engineering capability required to deliver sensors to customers at volume scale. The funding will be deployed across three strategic priorities:

•     Building a world-class IC and system architecture design team at the Antwerp sensor design center opened earlier this year
•     Developing and releasing next-generation color-splitting image sensors in 3D-stacked CMOS technology
•     Growing sensor sales and commercial partnerships with OEM customers across smart city, industrial, XR and mobile markets worldwide

 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

 

 
Transforming Infrared Imaging with Emberion’s Cutting-Edge Sensors 

 

 

 Galaxycore: What Is LOFIC? The HDR Technology Behind Advanced Image Sensors  

 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Link: https://www.prophesee.ai/2026/06/15/prophesee-launches-mantara-event-based-drone-detection/

Prophesee raises €20 million and launches Mantara, the first fully integrated drone detection system built on event-based vision and AI 

PARIS, June 15, 2026 – As Eurosatory and Vivatech open their doors this week in Paris, Prophesee – inventor and world leader in event-based perception – announces the launch of Mantara®: the first integrated system built natively event-based for drone detection and tracking. Mantara runs on Hearth®, a new software platform with built-in AI processing.

Field-validated in June 2026, Mantara is powered by Hearth, the platform succeeding OpenEB and the Metavision SDK. These announcements coincide with a €20 million capital raise led by French fund Critical Path Ventures, with participation from existing shareholders. Prophesee is now held by a substantial majority of French shareholders.

Mantara is a camera whose performance rests on integrated sensors that do not capture images but motion and events. Each pixel responds independently, in microseconds, the instant movement occurs. Fast, erratic targets that blur or vanish between frames on a conventional camera remain perfectly visible and fully characterizable by Mantara: in low light, in backlit conditions, against cluttered backgrounds. Low latency is the heart of its edge: in the time a conventional system takes to capture, transfer, and process a single frame, Mantara has already detected a drone, characterized it, and triggered a response or initiated tracking.

This capability is rooted in a bio-mimetic design inspired by the human visual system. The eye does not record the world in full. Instead, it captures sparse, essential signals, and the brain reconstructs and interprets what matters. If Mantara is the eye, Hearth is the brain.

Hearth is built with cybersecurity requirements, GDPR compliance, and AI governance standards baked in. It enables sensor fusion and will ensure backward compatibility across successive generations of Prophesee sensors. Applications built on Metavision and OpenEB will migrate to Hearth seamlessly.

Recent conflicts have put drones at the center of modern warfare, and the threat is moving fast beyond the battlefield: airports, power plants, critical infrastructure, public gatherings. Drones fly low, change direction sharply, and increasingly carry a near-zero signature: minimal electromagnetic emissions, little acoustic output, little thermal trace. They arrive faster, and in greater numbers, with coordinated swarms capable of overwhelming defenses built to track a single target.

Mantara emits nothing. It cannot be detected or jammed. And it learns: Hearth delivers regular updates that allow every deployed unit to adapt to shifts in threat behavior. Ukraine has made this clear: tactics evolve far faster than traditional development cycles can follow.
 

Civil and Military Missions

Mantara serves both civil and defense use cases. Airports, stadiums, energy and industrial sites, prisons, and ports can integrate it into existing security infrastructure for continuous, automated airspace monitoring. Governments and defense organizations have access to the same system for force protection and counter-UAS operations.

For civil operators, Mantara also offers a compelling privacy advantage: because the sensors detect motion events rather than recording images, Mantara can track moving objects without ever producing footage that could identify individuals. This is a decisive asset for deployment over public spaces and for GDPR compliance.

Hearth: the Reference Platform for the Event-based Ecosystem

Mantara is part of a broader strategic shift encompassing Prophesee’s entire product line.

Hearth will give the event-based ecosystem a trusted reference environment for building scalable, production-grade modules and applications. It will manage sensor updates, backward compatibility, and unlock capabilities that were previously out of reach for developers and integrators working with Prophesee’s patented technology.

As part of this transition, Prophesee announces the end of life of OpenEB, its open-source framework, and of the standalone Metavision SDK. Hearth is the path forward for the developer community. Prophesee will support the migration.

Prophesee’s partners and customers have built a wide range of applications – from eye trackers and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) to ultra-fast cameras for smartphones, ping-pong playing robots, industrial inspection systems, and drone and satellite tracking and targeting solutions. Event-based vision is reaching an inflection point. The market is maturing rapidly and demanding solutions that are robust, secure, and production-ready. With around a hundred patents and multiple sensors to its name, Prophesee has industrialized event-based technology and now intends to structure the broader application ecosystem by making Hearth widely available.

Built with a Network of European Industrial Partners

Mantara benefits from Prophesee’s partnership with IDS Imaging Development Systems GmbH, a leading industrial camera manufacturer. Building on the commercial success of the IDS uEye EVS camera line – based on Prophesee sensors – the two companies expanded their partnership in March 2026 with an agreement signed at Embedded World in Nuremberg to co-develop next-generation industrial vision systems.

Prophesee and Exosens have entered an MoU, paving the way for a long-term partnership to extend bio-mimetic technology beyond the visible spectrum, combining Prophesee’s event-based vision with Exosens’ detection and imaging technologies.

A €20 Million Raise to Anchor Prophesee in France

Prophesee announces a €20 million capital raise led by Critical Path Ventures, a new investor. The team has been reinforced with talent from Google, Microsoft, BCG, Thales, and companies working in drone, robotics, and quantum technologies, as well as from the armed forces. The funds will support the commercial scale-up of Mantara, the development of embedded intelligence within sensors, and the launch of Hearth. 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

"Ultraviolet Photon Detection in CMOS Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes: A Review" by Wang et al. in IEEE Sensors Journal (vol 26 no 12 June 2026)

DOI: 10.1109/JSEN.2026.3690120 

Abstract
Ultraviolet (UV) imaging is enabling a growing range of applications in industrial inspection, biomedicine, and aerospace. Single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs), known for their exceptional sensitivity and fast timing resolution, have achieved remarkable success in visible and near-infrared (NIR) applications, e.g., in light detection and ranging (LiDAR). However, there remains a significant gap
in the development and deployment of UV SPAD detectors. This review presents the latest progress, challenges, and application potential of SPAD technologies in deep-UV (DUV) and near-UV (NUV) ranges. It reviews the challenges in UV detection and the currently reported NUV SPADs, including wide bandgap semiconductors (WBSs), avalanche photodiodes (APDs), silicon-based SPADs with front-side illumination (FSI) and back-side illumination (BSI), and silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). By linking UV
imaging with single-photon detection, this review aims to support future silicon-based complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) high-speed, large-format UV SPAD arrays, and their integration into next-generation imaging systems. 

 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Press release (April 2026): https://www.hesaitech.com/hesai-unveils-picasso-6d-full-color-spad-soc-next-gen-etx-and-innovations-in-spatial-intelligence-and-physical-ai/

Hesai Unveils Picasso 6D Full-Color SPAD-SoC, Next-Gen ETX, and Innovations in Spatial Intelligence and Physical AI

Hesai Technology (Nasdaq: HSAI; HKEX: 2525), a global leader in intelligent technology and 3D perception, hosted its 2026 Technology Open Day on April 17, showcasing its latest generation of lidar technologies spanning full-color perception, ultra-high-resolution imaging, and spatial intelligence applications.

A key highlight was Picasso, the world’s first 6D full-color ultra-sensitive lidar SPAD-SoC, enabling native fusion of spatial and color perception at the ASIC level. Built on this platform, Hesai’s ETX lidar series has been upgraded to support up to 4320 channels and is expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2026. The company also previewed Kosmo, a new spatial intelligence AI hardware product, and outlined a new direction in robotic actuation modules for physical AI systems. 

At the core of today’s announcement is Picasso, Hesai’s fifth-generation 6D full-color ultra-sensitive lidar ASIC platform, designed to enable vehicles to see both geometry and color natively on a single chip.

Unlike conventional lidar systems that capture only geometric information such as XYZ, Picasso integrates RGB sensing and time-of-flight (ToF) ranging at the chip-level, enabling the direct generation of colorized point clouds without the need for complex sensor fusion. This 6D full-color capability delivers precise spatial and temporal alignment, resulting in richer environmental understanding and significantly enhancing the perception capabilities of next-generation autonomous systems. 

With photon detection efficiency (PDE) exceeding 40%, Picasso delivers industry-leading sensitivity, enabling stronger long-range performance, better detection of small objects, and improved performance in low-light environments within the same power envelope.

Rather than simply combining camera imagery with lidar point clouds, Picasso enables true ASIC-level fusion, with each point inherently carrying color information. This allows autonomous systems to move from spatial perception to real-time understanding of the driving environment, improving performance in different scenarios such as traffic signals, lane markings, and construction zones. 

The introduction of Picasso marks a major step in lidar development, moving beyond incremental improvements in resolution toward a new generation of full-color perception. This breakthrough is supported by Hesai’s long-term vertical integration strategy and in-house development across core lidar technologies. Following the launch of Fermi C500, a RISC-V-based high-performance lidar controller SoC that integrates MCU, FPGA functions, and ADC into a single chip, the company has established full-stack in-house ASIC development capabilities. This technology foundation has already translated into large-scale commercialization, with Hesai’s upgraded ATX lidar achieving full-scale mass production and securing over 6 million units in orders from leading OEMs.

 ETX is expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2026, with planned deployment across multiple flagship vehicle models, supporting the large-scale adoption of L3 autonomous driving systems. 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Link: https://www.sony-semicon.com/en/news/2026/2026050801.html

Sony Semiconductor Solutions and TSMC Enter Preliminary Agreement for Next-Generation Image Sensor Strategic Partnership 

Atsugi, Japan — Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (“Sony”) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (“TSMC”) (TWSE: 2330, NYSE: TSM) today announced the signing of a non-binding memorandum of understanding (“MOU”) to form a strategic partnership for the development and manufacturing of next-generation image sensors.

Under the proposed partnership, Sony and TSMC intend to establish a joint venture (“JV”), with Sony being the majority and controlling shareholder,to set up development and production lines in Sony’s newly constructed fab in Koshi City, Kumamoto Prefecture. Through the JV, both companies expect to leverage Sony's expertise in sensor design alongside TSMC’s strengths in process technology and manufacturing excellence as part of a broader collaboration aimed at enhancing image sensor performance.

With the MOU signed, Sony and TSMC are discussing potential investments by the JV. These investments, along with new capital investment by Sony in its existing plant in Nagasaki, are being considered on the premise that they would be implemented in phases based on market demand, and that they would receive support from the Japanese government.

This partnership also seeks to explore and address emerging opportunities in physical AI applications, such as automotive and robotics, paving the way for future innovations and expanded technological advancements. The establishment of the JV remains subject to the execution of a definitive legally binding agreement regarding the partnership and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. 

“Building on the trust cultivated through our long-standing collaboration with TSMC, I am delighted that we have reached an agreement to advance our partnership to a new stage,” said Shinji Sashida, President and CEO of Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation.“This JV is a significant initiative that brings together the strengths of both companies and aims to drive further advancement in technology and business within the next-generation image sensor field. Building on this JV, Sony intends to further strengthen its business operations with a focus on creating high added value. Rooted in the Sony Spirit that has guided us since our founding, we intend to continue to take on the challenge of creating new markets through unprecedented ideas and distinctive technologies.”

“Sony has been our long-time partner in the CMOS image sensor business. We are excited to elevate our collaboration to the next level, which represents a key step forward in driving future sensing technology in the AI era,” said TSMC Senior Vice President and Deputy Co-COO, Dr. Kevin Zhang. “This partnership underscores our shared commitment and mutual vision of leveraging cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to deliver leading sensing technology and products. We look forward to working closely together to achieve impactful results and create lasting value for all stakeholders.” 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Image Sensors Blog is soliciting 1-2 volunteers to help me maintain our weekly posting schedule. We have a large readership spanning industry and academia. This is a great opportunity esp. for an early-career academic (graduate student/postdoc) to provide valuable service to the image sensors community. Please email me (see contact listed in the "Blog Authors" sidebar) with a short introduction and how you see yourself contributing to the blog.

Many thanks to Dave Gilblom who is now retiring from his role as one of the blog maintainers. Thanks, Dave, for the countless hours of hard work poring over image sensor documentation, and for spearheading the Job Postings and Conference List features on the blog! 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Advanced Packaging and Multi-Dimensional Systems Integration for Image Sensors

November 5 & 6, 2026
Antwerp, Belgium

Abstract
Packaging technology for image sensors is an underappreciated issue in the systems integration process, greatly affecting performance, scalability, physical area, and cost. The multi-dimensional package as well as the underlying technology can greatly affect the overall electrical, optical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics of the integrated system. These systems have become multi-dimensional in nature, composed of several interacting layers and multiple sensors with the imagers vertically integrated within the overall system. Now that image sensors are driven more than ever to extreme performance capabilities, novel packaging options and technologies have become increasingly important. An important trend to support large scale sensors integrated into systems are the widely applied stacking and chiplet technologies in which several layers of active silicon are placed above each other. In this way, highly compact, high performance imaging systems are becoming possible. Packaging of systems including image sensors has become much more than placing a single silicon die into a package and attaching some wires.

The landscape of image sensor applications is widening at an accelerating rate, requiring new and different packaging solutions. This forum will review this key issue as well as include a series of highly related topics. This year’s Harvest Imaging Forum is focusing on the existing field of multi-dimensional packaging technology for image sensors. Related topics such as on-chip interconnect, power delivery, synchronization, network communication, thermal behavior, and heterogeneous integration will also be discussed. The focus will be on both current and near term capabilities. These next generation technologies are now becoming available, allowing the development and integration of large scale systems composed of multiple layers and chiplets to produce large scale systems operating at increasingly higher levels of performance. 

https://harvestimaging.com/forum_registration_2026.php 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

[ST Press Release from April 2026.]

STMicroelectronics brings always-on vision to next-generation personal electronics with new ultralow-power image sensors

VD55G4 and VD65G4 extend the ST BrightSense portfolio with compact, ultralow-power, microcontroller-compatible sensors for wearables, AR/VR, and smart devices

These new global-shutter image sensors can consume up to 10x less, in operating mode at around 800×700 resolution and 10 frames per second

Geneva, Switzerland — April 28, 2026 — STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, introduces a new generation of ultralow-power global-shutter image sensors that deliver high-quality, always-on vision to compact devices operating on batteries or harvested energy. The VD55G4 (monochrome) and VD65G4 (RGB color) sensors, part of the ST BrightSense portfolio, are now available to early adopters, enabling customers to start designing their next generation of smart, ultralow-power vision devices today.
Designed for the next wave of personal electronics and smart devices, the new sensors serve applications including wearables, AR/VR and XR headsets, smart home appliances and medical devices. They are engineered to deliver rich visual context and AI-ready data under tight constraints on power, size, and cost. The sensors combine an ultralow-power detect-and-wake architecture with a very small global-shutter optical format and interfaces optimized for low-power microcontrollers and cost-effective systems on chips (SoCs).

“Always‑on vision is becoming essential for the next generation of personal electronics, from smart glasses and AR/VR headsets to intelligent home appliances and medical devices. With VD55G4 and VD65G4, we are bringing this capability to smaller, lighter products that must run for a long time on a tiny battery. These new sensors help our customers create more intuitive and responsive experiences, extend battery life, and bring embedded vision and edge AI into everyday devices,” said Alexandre Balmefrezol, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Imaging Sub-Group at STMicroelectronics.

From wearables and AR/VR to smart appliances
VD55G4 and VD65G4 bring always‑on vision to products that must stay small, light, and extremely power‑efficient. Building on the ST BrightSense family, they add a color option, faster response for interactive use cases, and simple connectivity to low‑power microcontrollers, making it easier to add vision to space‑ and cost‑constrained designs.

In wearables, the sensors enable all‑day, always‑aware features such as glance detection, presence sensing, and contextual alerts, while fitting into very compact designs and working directly with microcontroller‑based platforms.

For AR/VR and XR headsets, they combine low power and high‑quality capture to support accurate tracking and spatial awareness, helping extend battery life without compromising comfort.

In smart home appliances, IoT devices, and medical products, the sensors allow more intelligence to run locally on the device itself, reducing cloud dependence and standby power. Their tiny size and energy efficiency also make them well suited to solar‑ or energy‑harvesting‑powered vision nodes.

Ultralow‑power design that consumes up to 10x less
Thanks to an optimized sensor architecture and dedicated always‑on mode, VD55G4 and VD65G4 can consume up to 10 times less power than conventional global‑shutter sensors. They can watch for changes in a scene and wake up the main processor only when needed, shifting from continuous streaming to event‑driven operation. This enables all‑day, always‑on experiences, longer battery life, and practical vision systems powered by small batteries or energy harvesting.

Their very small footprint and integrated image processing simplify design and reduce system cost, while supporting responsive, AI‑ready vision features in a wide range of edge devices. 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Link: https://it.chosun.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=2023092160385 

"Lee Je-seok, Vice President and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of the Sensor Business Team, also resigned recently after 32 years at the company. Lee is considered a "living witness" of Samsung’s image sensor brand, ISOCELL, and is credited with leading the development of the world's first 100-megapixel and 200-megapixel sensors, as well as securing a spot in Apple’s supply chain.

Following his resignation, Lee is reportedly preparing to launch an image sensor startup. On social media, he posted an image signaling a "stealth mode" startup with global experts, stating he would "redefine the future of imaging in January 2027." Industry observers are closely watching as a key designer of Samsung's proprietary technology could emerge as a potential competitor."

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Press release: https://www.usa.canon.com/newsroom/2026/20260415-camera

Canon U.S.A. Sets New Standard in Low-Light Imaging with the Launch of the MS-510 Multi-Purpose Camera at NAB 2026

Featuring a new Canon 1-inch SPAD sensor, the MS-510 delivers impressive low-light and long-range performance for ultra-low-light environments 

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 15, 2026 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the release of the MS-510, an innovative multi-purpose camera engineered to meet the rigorous demands of ultra-low-light full-color video shooting. Building on the success of the MS-500, the new MS-510 is designed to deliver high-fidelity captures of everything from nocturnal wildlife and natural nightscapes to high-security areas such as seaports, public infrastructure facilities, and national borders where "seeing the unseen" is a mission-critical requirement.

In response to increasing demands for excellent performance in near-total darkness, the MS-510 features a new Canon 1-inch Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) sensor with the world’s highest number of pixels at approximately 3.2 million with improved Near-Infrared (NIR) sensitivity.

By leveraging this technology, the camera achieves a minimum subject illumination of 0.0006 lux, a significant improvement over the 0.001 lux of its predecessor. This allows for bright, full-color imaging in ultra-low-light environments where traditional cameras can fail. Furthermore, the MS-510 boasts improved NIR capabilities, providing a tactical advantage for night-mode operations and long-distance detection.

The MS-510 is not just a camera; it is a sophisticated tool for critical infrastructure monitoring and law enforcement. Key features include:

•  Broadcast-Grade Optics: Equipped with the broadcast industry standard B4 mount, the MS-510 has a built in magnifying optical system offering compatibility with Canon’s extensive lineup of 2/3-inch ultra-telephoto broadcast zoom lenses, enabling crystal-clear identification over vast distances.
•  Advanced Image Processing: Integrated Haze Compensation automatically reduces the interference of mist and haze while adjusting contrast, and Smart Shade Control corrects for highlights and shadows to maintain image integrity in challenging lighting conditions.
•  Customizable Imaging Profiles: Users can create up to 20 customized image quality settings or utilize Custom Picture Presets to prioritize wide dynamic range or maximum noise reduction depending on the environment.

Designed to fit into existing security ecosystems, the MS-510 shares common protocols with the MS-500, including NU, Pelco-D®, ONVIF®, and WebView. It offers versatile output options, including 3G/HD-SDI for high-quality video feeds and a LAN terminal for IP-based camera control and distribution.

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Why Samsung Can't Beat Sony's Image Sensors:

 China’s Newest Tech Billionaire Made His Fortune From Developing Image Sensor Chips For Robotics: 

 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Jinwen Wei and Liangcai Cao, "Compact Neural Pancake Camera for High-Perceptual-Quality Foveated Imaging," ACS Photonics (2026).

Link: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.6c00691 

Pancake catadioptric optics utilize optical folding to effectively reduce the optical-path thickness in virtual-reality display systems. However, limited optical throughput and optical degradation make image reconstruction for pancake cameras severely ill-posed, hindering broader imaging applications. In this article, we propose a neural pancake camera with adaptive-prior deconvolution, achieving compact, high-perceptual-quality imaging. By introducing latent-space projection, adaptive prior deconvolution alleviates the trade-off between pixel fidelity and perceptual quality and addresses the excessive smoothing inherent in conventional pixelwise optimization. The proposed neural pancake camera reduces the ratio of axial length to physical aperture diameter by 3.2 times compared with other flat cameras with high imaging quality. Experiments and ablation studies substantiate that the proposed adaptive prior deconvolution improves perceptual quality by 70%, as measured by CLIP-IQA, while also outperforming the state-of-the-art deep learning models on pixel-level fidelity. As a representative application of the proposed neural Pancake camera, this work further showcases bioinspired foveated imaging, highlighting its potential for bandwidth-efficient imaging in next-generation edge and portable devices. 

 

Figure 1. Pipeline of the proposed neural Pancake camera. (a) Conceptual illustration of the proposed compact Pancake camera scheme. (b) The inherent trade-off between perceptual quality and pixel-level quality of computational imaging. This work proposes adaptive prior deconvolution to promote the perceptual imaging quality of Pancake cameras while improving pixel fidelity. (c) Overview of the training process of the end-to-end adaptive prior deconvolution. The framework operates by optimizing the learnable deconvolution network while leveraging a latent natural-image manifold prior, anchoring the restoration output to the natural image manifold to reconcile the perceptual-pixel trade-off.

 

Figure 3. Quantitative evaluation and visualization of the adaptive-prior deconvolution. (a) Schematic illustration of the inference process based on the adaptive-manifold prior. (b) Quantitative performance profiles of averaged MUSIQ, SSIM, and PP-IQA across inference steps. (c) Visual comparisons demonstrating the effects of the low prior, the adaptively selected proper prior, and the over-prior.

 

 

Figure 4. Demonstration of neural Pancake camera-based foveated imaging. (a) Schematic illustration of foveated imaging in the human visual system. (b) Profiles of high-frequency content proportion and relative acuity versus field of view. (c) Comparison of reconstructed and raw-captured images across different fields of view. 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Link: https://imagesensors.org/CFP2027/fcfp2027.pdf

FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS ABSTRACTS DUE Dec 10, 2026
2027 International Image Sensor Workshop
The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, BC, Canada
June 13-17, 2027

The 2027 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW) provides a biennial opportunity to present innovative work in the area of solid-state image sensors and share new results with the image sensor community. The event is intended for image sensor technologists; in order to encourage attendee interaction and a shared experience, attendance is limited, with strong acceptance preference given to workshop presenters. As is its tradition, the 2027 workshop will emphasize an open exchange of information among participants in an informal, secluded setting besides Whistler, BC, Canada.

The scope of the workshop includes all aspects of electronic image sensor design and development. In addition to regular oral and flash presentation papers, the workshop will include invited talks and announcement of International Image Sensors Society (IISS) Award winners.

Image Sensor Design and Performance
CMOS imagers, CCD imagers, SPAD sensors
New and disruptive architectures
Global shutter image sensors
Low noise readout circuitry, ADC designs
Single photon sensitivity sensors
High frame rate image sensors
High dynamic range sensors
Low voltage and low power imagers
High image quality; Low noise; High sensitivity
Improved color reproduction
Non-standard color patterns with special digital processing
Imaging system-on-a-chip, On-chip image processing
Event-based image sensors

Pixels and Image Sensor Device Physics
New devices and pixel structures
Advanced materials
Ultra miniaturized pixels development, testing, and characterization
New device physics and phenomena
Electron multiplication pixels
Techniques for increasing QE, well capacity, reducing
crosstalk, and improving angular response
Front side illuminated, back side illuminated, and
stacked pixels and pixel arrays
Pixel simulation: Optical and electrical simulation, 2D and
3D, CAD for design and simulation, improved models 

Application Specific Imagers
Image sensors and pixels for range sensing: TOF, RGBZ,
Structured light, Stereo imaging, etc.
Image sensors with enhanced spectral sensitivity (NIR, UV, IR)
Sensors for DSC, DSLR, mobile, digital video cameras and mirror-less cameras
Array imagers and sensors for multi-aperture imaging, computational imaging, and machine learning
Sensors for medical applications, microbiology, genome sequencing
High energy photon and particle sensors (X-ray, radiation)
Line arrays, TDI, Very large format imagers
Multi and hyperspectral imagers
Polarization sensitive imagers

Image sensor manufacturing and testing
New manufacturing techniques
Wafer-on-wafer and chip-on-wafer stacking technologies
Backside thinning
New characterization methods
Packaging and testing: reliability, yield, cost
Defects, noises, and leakage currents
Radiation damage and radiation hard imagers

On-chip optics
Advanced optical path, color filters, microlens, light guides
Nanotechnologies for Imaging
Wafer level cameras

Submission of abstracts:
An abstract should consist of a single page of maximum 500-words text with up to two pages of
illustrations (3 pages maximum), and include authors’ name(s) and affiliation, mailing address,
telephone and e-mail address.

The deadline for abstract submission is 11:59pm, Thursday Dec 10th, 2026 (PST).
To submit an abstract, please go to: https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/IISW2027
Above website should be open by Aug 1st, 2026.

The first time you visit the paper submission site, you'll need to click on "Create Account". Once you create and verify your account with your email address, you will be able to submit abstracts by logging in and clicking “Create New Submission”.

Please visit http://imagesensors.org/CFP2027 for complete instructions and any updates to the
abstract and paper submission procedures.

Abstracts will be considered on the basis of originality and quality. High quality papers on work in progress are also welcome. Abstracts will be reviewed confidentially by the Technical Program
Committee.

Key Dates
Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their abstract by February 12th, 2027.
Final-form 4-page paper submission date is March 20th, 2027.
Presentation material submission date is April 30th, 2027.

Location and format:
The IISW 2027 will be held at the Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler, British Columbia in Canada.

Registration, Workshop fee and Program:
The Workshop Program and registration details will be provided in the Final Announcement of the Workshop. 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

In a paper titled "Design and Optimization of a Twisted Photodiode Pixel Structure for All-Directional Phase-Detection Autofocus CMOS Image Sensors" a team from Canon write:

To achieve an all-directional and high-speed, high-accuracy autofocus (AF) function, we propose a CMOS image sensor with a Twisted Photodiode (PD) structure. The developed 3D-stacked back-side illuminated (BSI) sensor employs the Twisted PD, which enables equivalent angular response characteristics in both the horizontal and vertical directions for the two PDs integrated within a single pixel, thereby realizing AF detection for all pixels and all directions. This paper describes the Twisted PD structure that enables all-directional AF and presents an analysis of charge transfer behavior in this unique 3D configuration. In this paper, “all-directional” refers to robustness with respect to subject direction.

This paper was published in the IISW2025 special issue of Sensors. 
Link: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/26/6/1758

 

 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Omnivision is listed on HKSE https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinas-omnivision-open-slightly-higher-hong-kong-trading-debut-2026-01-12/ 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

ESA, CNES, AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE, ISAE-SUPAERO, OHB, SODERN, and THALES ALENIA SPACE are pleased to invite you to:

VISSA: VISible detection for Space Applications, the 9th iteration of the workshop series known as “Space & Scientific CMOS Image Sensors”

Please find attached the CALL FOR ABSTRACTS for the workshop planned for 24 and 25 November at ESA-ESTEC, The Netherlands.

This is a very popular event and has become one of the main European technical exchanges on CMOS image sensors. The aim of this workshop is to focus on latest developments in advanced image sensors for scientific and space applications targeting wavelengths shorter than 1.1 μm.

The deadline for abstract submission is 4 September 2026.

Please send a short abstract on one A4 page maximum in word or pdf format giving the
title, the author name(s) and affiliation(s), and presenting the subject of your talk, to
matthew.soman@esa.int and valerian.lalucaa@cnes.fr 

Abstracts shall preferably address one or more of the following topics:
• Pixel design (high QE, FWC, MTF optimization, low lag, …)
• Electrical design (low noise amplifiers, shutter, CDS, high speed architectures, TDI, HDR, …)
• On-chip ADC or TDC (in pixel, column, …)
• On-chip processing (smart sensors, multiple gains, summation, corrections)
• Low-light detection (electron multiplication, avalanche photodiodes, quanta image sensors, …)
• Photon counting, Time resolving detectors (gated, time-correlated single-photon counting, …)
• Hyperspectral architectures
• Materials (thin film, optical layers, dopant, high-resistivity, amorphous Si, …)
• Processes (backside thinning, hybridization, 3D stacking, anti-reflection coating, …)
• Packaging
• Optical design (micro-lenses, trench isolation, filters, …)
• Large size devices (stitching, butting, …)
• High speed interfaces
• Focal plane architectures
• CMOS image sensors with recent space heritage showing in-flight performance 

Workshop format & official language
Oral presentations shall be requested for the workshop. The official workshop language is English.
 

Slide submission
After abstract acceptance notification, the authors will be requested to prepare their presentation in pdf
or Powerpoint file format, to be presented at the workshop. Authors will also be required to provide a
version to the organizing committee along with an authorization to make it available for Workshop
attendees, and on-line for the COMET members. No proceedings will be compiled and so no detailed
manuscript needs to be submitted.
 

Registration
Registration fee : Attendees: 120 Euro // students: 60 Euro
On-line registration link will be sent at registration opening.
 

Exhibition/Sponsorship:
Booths will be available during the workshop. If you are interested to exhibit, please contact the
organizing committee. 

Go to the original article...

Image Sensors World        Go to the original article...

Product overview page: https://www.sony-semicon.com/en/products/is/scientific/x-ray.html

The IMX711 is an X-ray image sensor that employs a direct conversion and integration type CMOS technology, in which X-rays and electron beams are detected directly.

It uses proprietary technology to achieve both high-speed capture and low noise performance, enabling the detection of weak single-photon signals, which is difficult with conventional integration type sensors.
This technology enables measurement with a wider dynamic range than conventional methods, offering from single-photon detection under low-flux conditions to stable and high-accuracy measurement in high-flux conditions.

The image sensor can capture energy, spatial, and temporal information simultaneously, which contributes to better measurement accuracy, measurement throughput, and flexible post-processing depending on the application and use casein advanced device inspection and scientific measurements such as materials science and life sciences.

 

Go to the original article...