NanoWerk: A new Collaborative research project funded by the European Commission in its Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007-2013) was launched in June 2010 under the coordination of the Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Elettronica e Informazione. The project "MiSPiA" (Microelectronic Single-Photon 3D Imaging Arrays for low-light high-speed Safety and Security Applications) will be funded for € 2,632,854 for 3 years.
MiSPIA aims at two 3D applications: high frame-rate, short-range (10-50m) 3D ranging systems for automotive prompt intervention for front- and back- pre-crash safety systems; and multi-spectral long-range (200-1,000m) 3D ranging systems for security surveillance. MiSPiA aims to provide simultaneously both high frame-rates and single photon sensitivity chips with monolithic integration SPAD pixels and in-pixel intelligence able to process at the pixel-level intensity-data and depth-ranging information.
On July 12 and 13 2010, more than 20 representatives of the MiSPiA consortium will meet in Milan for the project kick-off meeting.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Omnivision 8MP Sensor inside Motorola Droid X
Barron's: Wedbush analyst Betsy Van Hees writes in her report:
“Our industry checks indicate that OmniVision’s 8MP image sensor is likely in the DROID X set to be released on July 15. We view this design win as a significant positive for OmniVision, further validating the company’s leading image quality and technology position, particularly given that our checks indicate several years ago OmniVision was designed out of Motorola due to image quality issues.”
“Our industry checks indicate that OmniVision’s 8MP image sensor is likely in the DROID X set to be released on July 15. We view this design win as a significant positive for OmniVision, further validating the company’s leading image quality and technology position, particularly given that our checks indicate several years ago OmniVision was designed out of Motorola due to image quality issues.”
Friday, July 09, 2010
Nokia N8 Camera Review
Official Nokia Conversations blog published a two part article on N8 camera (part 1, part 2). Some interesting quotes:
"The first thing we did was throttle back the edge enhancement to a point where it’s almost disabled. In video – under good lighting – we completely disabled noise reduction. I think it’s pretty unheard of for such devices to not be running any noise reduction. But it’s testimony to the great optics and superior sensor."
"Apart from disabling various artificial enhancers, we also carefully consider how we reproduce colour in certain environments. Here’s two examples. In candle-lit scenes, you remember the warmth of the candle light. In snow scenes (my Finnish colleagues know this far better than I do), people tend to remember the bluish tint to the snow caused by the blue sky. In these situations, rather than correcting to a theoretical perfect white balance, we tune it to how you remember it. To achieve this takes time and many rounds of tuning, testing, retuning, testing, etc."
The official untouched sample pictures demonstrating N8 approach are also shown in the blog.
"The first thing we did was throttle back the edge enhancement to a point where it’s almost disabled. In video – under good lighting – we completely disabled noise reduction. I think it’s pretty unheard of for such devices to not be running any noise reduction. But it’s testimony to the great optics and superior sensor."
"Apart from disabling various artificial enhancers, we also carefully consider how we reproduce colour in certain environments. Here’s two examples. In candle-lit scenes, you remember the warmth of the candle light. In snow scenes (my Finnish colleagues know this far better than I do), people tend to remember the bluish tint to the snow caused by the blue sky. In these situations, rather than correcting to a theoretical perfect white balance, we tune it to how you remember it. To achieve this takes time and many rounds of tuning, testing, retuning, testing, etc."
The official untouched sample pictures demonstrating N8 approach are also shown in the blog.
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
July Rumors
- Dongbu is planning to spin-off its image sensor design group. After few years of trying the group appears to be unable to come up with competitive products. So Dongbu is looking for external investors in hopes that the group would be more successful as an independent entity.
- SMIC is running close to the full capacity on CIS process, filled by Galaxycore orders.
- Sony has been demoing 1.1um pixel sensor to its potential customers since February 2010. The first response on image quality was quite positive.
- OmniBSI-2 1.1um pixel QE is reportedly "higher than 55%"
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
Anteryon WL Optics Reverse Engineered
I-Micronews: Yole Développement published reverse engineering report on Anteryon's wafer level lens found in Toshiba TCM9001MD VGA camera-cube:
Lattice and Helion Announce Full HD HDR FPGA Cores for Security Applications
Marketwire: Lattice and Helion announced IP cores for the video security and surveillance camera market. Targeting the LatticeXP2, LatticeECP2M and LatticeECP3 FPGA families, Helion has demonstrated its IONOS video pipeline IP and Vesta evaluation platform.
Helion offers a selection of video pipelines from VGA to 12MP, including 1080p60, all the way through high resolution advanced HDR color pipelines. Depending on the pipeline selected, it will consist of a number of individual video processing IP cores, such as defective pixel correction, logic-efficient 3 x 3 De-Bayering, high quality 5 x 5 De-Bayering, color-correction matrix, gamma correction, auto-exposure, auto-white balance and more.
Working with an Aptina A-1000 image sensor, Helion IP can deliver a scene dynamic range of 120dB and a system dynamic range up to 170dB.
Helion offers a selection of video pipelines from VGA to 12MP, including 1080p60, all the way through high resolution advanced HDR color pipelines. Depending on the pipeline selected, it will consist of a number of individual video processing IP cores, such as defective pixel correction, logic-efficient 3 x 3 De-Bayering, high quality 5 x 5 De-Bayering, color-correction matrix, gamma correction, auto-exposure, auto-white balance and more.
Working with an Aptina A-1000 image sensor, Helion IP can deliver a scene dynamic range of 120dB and a system dynamic range up to 170dB.
Friday, July 02, 2010
Polymer Photodetectors as "Black Silicon" Competition
While not exactly image sensor related, Sensors journal published an open-access article on what appears to be SiOnyx "Black Silicon" competition:
Semiconducting Polymer Photodetectors with Electron and Hole Blocking Layers: High Detectivity in the Near-Infrared
Xiong Gong, Ming-Hong Tong, Sung Heum Park, Michelle Liu, Alex Jen and Alan J. Heeger
Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Similarly to SiOnyx, the group of authors reported calculated detectivities greater than 1e13 Jones over a spectral range of 300-900 nm:
A linear dynamic range of approximately 130 dB was achieved. The article mentions that polymer detector spectral response can be extended into NIR range up to 1450nm.
Via Electrons and Holes blog.
Semiconducting Polymer Photodetectors with Electron and Hole Blocking Layers: High Detectivity in the Near-Infrared
Xiong Gong, Ming-Hong Tong, Sung Heum Park, Michelle Liu, Alex Jen and Alan J. Heeger
Center for Polymers and Organic Solids, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
Similarly to SiOnyx, the group of authors reported calculated detectivities greater than 1e13 Jones over a spectral range of 300-900 nm:
A linear dynamic range of approximately 130 dB was achieved. The article mentions that polymer detector spectral response can be extended into NIR range up to 1450nm.
Via Electrons and Holes blog.
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Head of Sony Image Sensor Business Interviewed
July issue of Nikkei Electronics Asia Magazine has an interview with President of Sony image sensor business Tomoyuki Suzuki. Some interesting quotes:
"If the competition in imaging devices were strictly based on volume and cost, our approach wouldn't succeed. We don't have the large-scale fabs that our rivals do, and we won't build them. Fortunately, we can compete in device quality, and we can continue to add functions that make our customers happy."
"As long as a direction exists for evolution, like image quality or functionality, we will continue to lead the industry... Our basic stance is to differentiate our products through image quality, and we plan to handle new demand where this stance pays off."
"I said 60 frames/s, but the human eye seems to be able to tell the difference up to about 240 frames/s, and I wouldn't be surprised if that stimulates demand for even higher frame rates."
"Q: What is the revenue breakdown between CMOS sensors and CCDs for Sony's imaging devices business?
A: About half and half, but I think the weight of CMOS sensors will increase."
"Q: I have heard of experienced semiconductor engineers transferring into the Sony imaging devices group.
A: ...Thanks to the strong support of the Sony head office we've been able to fill our personnel roster with top-quality people, but I could use even more."
Thanks to Electrons and Holes blogger who spotted the article.
"If the competition in imaging devices were strictly based on volume and cost, our approach wouldn't succeed. We don't have the large-scale fabs that our rivals do, and we won't build them. Fortunately, we can compete in device quality, and we can continue to add functions that make our customers happy."
"As long as a direction exists for evolution, like image quality or functionality, we will continue to lead the industry... Our basic stance is to differentiate our products through image quality, and we plan to handle new demand where this stance pays off."
"I said 60 frames/s, but the human eye seems to be able to tell the difference up to about 240 frames/s, and I wouldn't be surprised if that stimulates demand for even higher frame rates."
"Q: What is the revenue breakdown between CMOS sensors and CCDs for Sony's imaging devices business?
A: About half and half, but I think the weight of CMOS sensors will increase."
"Q: I have heard of experienced semiconductor engineers transferring into the Sony imaging devices group.
A: ...Thanks to the strong support of the Sony head office we've been able to fill our personnel roster with top-quality people, but I could use even more."
Thanks to Electrons and Holes blogger who spotted the article.
PRNU and DSNU Explained
Albert Theuwissen continues his series of articles on PTC interpretations. The latest one explains PRNU and DSNU influence on PTC.
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