Rode Videomic GO II review
Canon places third in U.S. patent rankings and first among Japanese companies, places in top five for 36 years running
ST Presents 4.6um Pixel iToF Sensor
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ST presents its 4.6um iToF sensor at ESSCIRC 2021 that appears to be quite close to production, judging by the large team size: "4.6μm Low Power Indirect Time-of-Flight Pixel Achieving 88.5% Demodulation Contrast at 200MHz for 0.54MPix Depth Camera" by Cédric Tubert, Pascal Mellot, Yann Desprez, Celine Mas, Arnaud Authié, Laurent Simony, Grégory Bochet, Stephane Drouard, Jeremie Teyssier, Damien Miclo, Jean-Raphael Bezal, Thibault Augey, Franck Hingant, Thomas Bouchet, Blandine Roig, Aurélien Mazard, Raoul Vergara, Gabriel Mugny, Arnaud Tournier, Frédéric Lalanne, François Roy, Boris Rodrigues Goncalves, Matteo Vignetti, Pascal Fonteneau, Vincent Farys, François Agut, Joao Migue Melo Santos, David Hadden, Kevin Channon, Christopher Townsend, Bruce Rae, and Sara Pellegrini.
PMD-Infineon Advances in FSI iToF Sensors
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ISSCIRC 2021 paper and presentation "Advancements in Indirect Time of Flight Image Sensors in Front Side Illuminated CMOS" by M. Dielacher, M. Flatscher, R. Gabl, R. Gaggl, D. Offenberg, and J. Prima is available on-line. Few interesting slides:
ORRAM Neuromorphic Vision Sensor
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Hong Kong Polytechnic University publishes a video explaining its Optoelectronic Resistive Memory-based vision sensor with image recognition capabilities:
LiDAR News: Voyant, Innoviz, Quanergy
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PRNewswire: Lidar-on-a-chip startup Voyant Photonics raises $15.4M in Series A. Voyant's LiDAR system, containing thousands of optical components fabricated on a single semiconductor chip, enables its customers to integrate an effective and exponentially more scalable LiDAR system than possible to date.
First 10000 photos are your worst
Ge/MoS2 Broadband Detectors
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Science publishes a paper "Visible and infrared dual-band imaging via Ge/MoS2 van der Waals heterostructure" by Aujin Hwang, Minseong Park, Youngseo Park, Yeongseok Shim, Sukhyeong Youn, Chan-Ho Lee, Han Beom Jeong, Hu Young Jeong, Jiwon Chang, Kyusang Lee, Geonwook Yoo, Junseok Heo from Ajou University, Yonsei University, Soongsil University, KAIST, UNIST (Korea), and University of Virginia (USA).
Recent Videos: HK University, Almalence, Sony AI, Cube Eye, Imatest, Trieye
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Hong Kong University publishes its video poster on modeling of Current-Assisted Photonic Demodulator (CAPD) for iToF sensors:Recent Videos: HK University, Almalence, Sony AI, Cube Eye, Imatest, Trieye
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Hong Kong University publishes its video poster on modeling of Current-Assisted Photonic Demodulator (CAPD) for iToF sensors:8-inch CIS TSV Fab in China Gets 100M RMB Investment
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Sohu: Suzhou Keyang Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (Keyang Semiconductor) receives a strategic investment of more than 100M yuan. After the completion of this round of investment, Keyang Semiconductor will accelerate the upgrade of the CIS production line.
Li Yongzhi, Director and CEO of Keyun Semiconductor, says: "In the face of new opportunities, Keyang Semiconductor will continue to dig deeper in the field of advanced semiconductor packaging, and is committed to becoming the world's leading through-silicon via (TSV) and wafer-level packaging (WLP) solution provider!"
Ambarella Presents Artificial Intelligence Image Signal Processor (AISP)
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GlobeNewswire: Ambarella announces an Artificial Intelligence Image Signal Processor (AISP). The new AISP will become available across Ambarella’s entire CVflow SoC portfolio at resolutions up to 4K. The applications of this technology encompass all of the company’s target markets, where low-light and HDR processing are critical. This includes security and automotive cameras, where full-color night vision is a key operating point, and where better low-light and HDR enable reductions in external illumination, the use of lower cost sensors, and cleaner video for both human viewing and analytics processing.
Q&A with Eric Fossum
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Dartmouth publishes "Q&A with engineering professor and Technology and Engineering Emmy winner Eric Fossum." Few quotes:
Omnivision Presents 5MP Sensor with 2.2um RGB-IR Global Shutter Pixels
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BusinessWire: Omnivision announces the latest addition to its Nyxel NIR family―the OX05B1S is the automotive industry’s first 5MP RGB-IR BSI global shutter sensor for in-cabin monitoring systems (IMS) with a pixel size of just 2.2µm with improves 940nm NIR sensitivity. Additionally, it is the first RGB-IR sensor for in-cabin monitoring to feature integrated cybersecurity.
Omnivision Launches 3MP SoC for Automotive Cameras with Low Power and Small Size
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BusinessWire: Omnivision launches the OX03D, a 3MP SoC for automotive surround-view systems (SVS), rearview systems (RVS) and e-mirrors. The new SoC provides a path for automotive OEMs to upgrade from 1MP to 3MP while retaining a 1/4-inch optical format. The OX03D4C has a fully integrated ISP, is capable of 140dB HDR and includes the tone-mapping algorithm along with the LED flicker mitigation (LFM).
It features 105dB motion-free HDR with a total range of 140dB, and provides HDR and LFM simultaneously. The OX03D supports a number of CFA patterns, and can output both YUV and RAW process streams at the same time. The OX03D4C provides four on-screen display overlay layers for driver guidelines, as well as distortion correction to straighten any curved edges from lenses with a wide viewing angle. The OX03D4C consumes less than 500 mW power, enabling the use of a plastic case for lighter weight and lower cost.
Omnivision Unveils 200MP Sensor with 0.612um Pixels
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BusinessWire: Omnivision announces the OVB0, said to be the world’s smallest 200MP image sensor with pixel size at just 0.61µm for smartphone cameras. The OVB0B is the first 200MP to offer 100% quad phase detection (QPD) for fast autofocus.
The OVB0B features the industry’s first 16-cell binning capability for 4K2K video with 16 times the sensitivity. In low light environments it achieves 12.5MP performance with 2.44µm-equivalent pixel size using near pixel 4x4 binning. An on-chip remosaic enables 50MP at 24 fps and 8k video at 30 fps with 1.22µm-equivalent performance. The OVB0B can also output 12.5MP at 30 fps with 3-exposure staggered HDR timing.
“Consumers want high resolution captures and high quality preview and video. As the image sensor technology leader, we have applied our PureCel Plus-S stacked die technology to dramatically push mobile main cameras to a new level,” said Arun Jayaseelan, staff marketing manager at Omnivision. “With the new OVB0B, we now offer the industry’s highest resolution in a small package for high end smart phones along with the best low-light performance in its class.”
“We estimate more than 40 million image sensors with 100MP+ resolution are expected to be shipped to smartphone vendors in 2022,” says Jeffrey Mathews, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics.
The OVB0B supports CPHY, DPHY and dual DOVDD (1.8V and 1.2V). Samples of the OVB0B are available now.
Sony Concept Car Features 18 Cameras and 4 LiDARs
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PRNewswire: Sony announces Vision-S concept vehicle. It has 18 cameras and 4 LiDARs:
VPS Semiconductor Raises 100M RMB in A-Round on Promises of 0.5um Pixel and 600MP Resolution
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SemiconductorEngineering: VPS Semiconductor startup promising "For the first time, a new type of imaging device with a single pixel composed of a single transistor-vertical charge transfer imaging device (VPS technology for short)" raises 100M yuan in series A financing round.
Hyperspectral Sensor Startup Seetrum Raises "Hundreds of Millions of RMB" in Pre-A Round
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Seetrum ( Chinese name Yuguang Technology) announces the completion of a pre-A round of financing of several hundred million yuan. Yuguang Technology focuses on providing spectroscopy chips, AI algorithms and smart perception solutions.
Soitec Presents InP Integration onto Si Wafer for SWIR Sensing
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Soitec Capital Market Day presentation shows the company's innovations in wafers for imaging:
EU Autovision Collaboration Targets Graphene SWIR Sensor for Automotive Applications
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The AUTOVISION Spearhead Project aims to develop a graphene-based SWIR image sensor, and integrate it in a suitable camera system for self-driving cars.
Led by Qurv in Barcelona, AUTOVISION counts on the collaboration of industrial partners such Aixtron in the UK and Veoneer in Sweden, to help make safe deployment of autonomous vehicles possible.
The AUTOVISION project, over the course of three years, will produce CMOS graphene quantum dot image sensors in prototype sensor systems, ready for uptake in the automotive sector. Across the duration of the project, the developing image sensor is set to take huge leaps in sensitivity, operation speed and pixel size.
Hamamatsu "Lightsheet Readout"
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Hamamatsu presents Lightsheet Readout Mode for microscopes that is said to improve image quality:
2021 in Review
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Here is my list of the most significant achievements in image sensor industry this year:- New theory of RTS noise based on multi-atom metastable defects in Si crystal structure
- If correct, it might cause a paradigm shift in the ways to reduce RTS noise
- Opens a way to simulate and analyze various ways of RTN suppression on computer models
- This is my personal favorite of 2021 that hopefully would turn into commercial product achievements in 2022-25
- Gives a hope that RTN would be eradicated in future devices
- Samsung 17nm FinFET process for stacked CIS logic die
- Samsung 2.2V supply pixel is in mass produced 108MP smartphone sensor
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology presented its version of 0.8um color-routing pixel
- Sony splits 4T pixel transistors between two layers in a stacked sensor
- SPAD progress:
- Sony created 6um-pitch SPAD with 20.2% QE at 940nm
- Canon presented 3.2MP SPAD sensor
- LiDAR SPAC parade continues:
- LiDAR consolidation: Sense Photonics has been acquired by Ouster for $68M in stock with 5-year reverse vesting for key employees
- China News:
- Galaxycore IPO makes CEO Stanly Zhao a multi-billionaire
- High productivity: Smartsens completed more than 30 tapeouts in 2020, 31 tapeouts in 2021, released 36 new products in 2021
- Smartsens IPO at $4.4B valuation
- Tyrafos raised "hundred of millions of yuan" investment