Image Sensors World
News and discussions about image sensors
Friday, April 24, 2026
Gpixel IPO on HKSE
Thursday, April 23, 2026
Gpixel Leica collaboration
Wetzlar, Germany & Changchun, China, 20 April 2026 Today, Leica Camera AG and Gpixel, a leading global provider of advanced CMOS image sensors, announce a strategic partnership. Both partners agreed to combine their core competencies in the area of innovative imaging technologies to
co-develop a new high performance imaging sensor tailored for next-generation Leica cameras. This collaboration brings together Leica’s long-standing expertise in premium imaging and Gpixel’s cutting-edge sensor design capabilities to push the boundaries of what is technically possible in digital photography.
The partnership focuses on jointly engineering a bespoke image sensor optimized for Leica’s rigorous imaging standards, enabling unprecedented levels of image quality, dynamic range, color fidelity, and low-light performance across future Leica products.
Dr. Andreas Kaufmann, Chairman of the Supervisory Board and majority shareholder Leica Camera AG said: „I am really happy and proud that our long-term cooperation with Gpixel will result in a true Leica sensor, incorporating the best ingredients of engineering between Wetzlar, Antwerp and Changchun.”
“At Gpixel, we have always admired Leica’s uncompromising approach to craftsmanship and image performance,” said Xinyang Wang, CEO of Gpixel. “Collaborating with Leica gives us the opportunity to combine our sensor-engineering strengths with their legendary imaging heritage. This partnership allows us to co-create a new generation of sensors that will empower photographers with extraordinary image-making capabilities.”
The jointly developed sensor will be purpose-engineered to meet the highest performance requirements in color reproduction, noise optimization, dynamic range, and detail rendering. The collaboration also includes close cooperation in validation, image tuning, and production readiness.
About Gpixel
Gpixel is a global leader in advanced CMOS image sensor solutions, serving industrial, professional, and scientific imaging markets. Known for delivering state-of-the-art performance across a broad portfolio of sensor technologies—from high-resolution and high-speed imaging to low-noise and specialized sensor architectures—Gpixel helps partners across the world bring next-generation imaging products to life.
About Leica Camera
Leica Camera AG is an international, premium manufacturer of cameras, lenses and sports optics. As part of its growth strategy, the company has expanded its portfolio to include mobile imaging (smartphones) and the manufacture of high-quality spectacle lenses and watches, and is also represented in the home cinema segment with its own projectors.
Leica Camera AG, having its headquarters in Wetzlar, Germany, and a second production site in Vila Nova de Famalicão, Portugal, operates a global network of its own distribution companies with around 120 Leica Stores worldwide.
The Leica brand stands for excellence in quality, German craftsmanship and industrial design, combined with innovative technologies. An integral aspect of the brand culture is the promotion of the culture of photography, with around 30 Leica Galleries worldwide, the Leica Akademie and international awards such as the Leica Hall of Fame Award and the Leica Oskar Barnack Award (LOBA).
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Conference List - October 2026
VISION - 6-8 October 2026 - Stuttgart, Germany - Website
Photonics Spectra Sensing Technologies Summit 2026 - 7 October 2026 - Online - Website
Optica Laser Congress and Exhibition - 11-15 October 2026 - Vilnius, Lithuania - Website
ASNT Annual Conference - 12-15 October 2026 - Columbus, Ohio, USA - Website
CPAD 2026 (Coordinating Panel for Advanced Detectors) - 20-23 October 2026 - Seattle, Washington, USA - Website
SPIE/COS Photonics Asia - 24-26 October 2026 - Nantong, Jiangsu, China - Website
IEEE Sensors Conference - 25-28 October 2026 - Rotterdam, The Netherlands, - Website
Image Sensors Asia - 28-29 October 2026 - Seoul, South Korea/Hybrid - Website
If you know about additional local conferences, please add them as comments.
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Saturday, April 11, 2026
Photonics article on single-photon detectors industry use-cases
Link: https://www.photonics.com/Articles/Single-Photon-Detection-Bridges-the-Gap-Between/p7/a71989
Single-Photon Detection Bridges the Gap Between Quantum Tech and Industrial Users
The article covers the following companies and startups:
- NovoViz: Integrating SPAD sensors with on-chip digital processing for industrial applications.
- VTEC Lasers & Sensors: Offering "Quspads" InP-based SPAD chips with high efficiency and room-temperature operation.
- Ubicept: Software platforms for real-time reconstruction with megapixel color SPAD sensors.
- Photon Force: High-throughput SPAD array camera with 50-picosecond temporal resolution.
- Quantum Computing Inc. (QCi): Quantum lidar and quantum photonic vibrometer systems.
- ID Quantique (IDQ): SNSPD systems for integrated circuit inspection and Ariane 6 rocket monitoring.
- Sony: Manufacturer of SPAD-based lidar modules.
Thursday, April 09, 2026
AlpsenTek raises another round of funding for its hybrid vision sensor
AlpsenTek Completes Series B+ as Hybrid Vision Sensors Become a New Gateway to the AI-Powered Physical World
SHENZHEN, China — March 17, 2026 — AlpsenTek, a pioneer in hybrid vision sensor technology, today announced the completion of a Series B+ financing round and the total fund-rasing has surpassed 100 million USD.
The B+ round was jointly backed by BEIDM, Guangdong Finance Fund Management, GAC Capital, Circumference Capital, Changjiang Capital, Bluetrum, UNICC Capital, Zhichen Investment, Wofo Venture Capital, and Sunyes.
The new funding will support continued core technology development, large-scale product manufacturing, and global market expansion, accelerating the industrial adoption of next-generation AI vision sensing technologies.
The Growing Need for Real-Time Perception in Physical AI
As artificial intelligence moves beyond the digital world and increasingly interacts with the physical environment, real-time environmental perception is becoming a fundamental infrastructure for intelligent systems.
Traditional vision sensors, which rely on fixed-frame-rate image capture and full-pixel data acquisition, are gradually struggling to meet the emerging requirements of intelligent perception systems that demand high speed, low latency, and high dynamic range.
Hybrid Vision Sensing: A New Path for AI Machine Vision
AlpsenTek’s Hybrid Vision Sensor (HVS) technology introduces a new technical paradigm for machine vision systems.
The technology integrates frame-based image sensing and event-based sensing mechanisms on a single sensor chip, enabling devices to simultaneously capture both image information and brightness change signals within a scene. This provides AI systems with visual inputs that are both more efficient and more representative of real-world dynamics.
If traditional image sensors record “what the world looks like,” hybrid vision sensors capture both “what the world looks like” and “how the world is changing.”
Dual-Modality Perception for Next-Generation AI
Compared with vision systems that rely solely on frame-based images, hybrid vision sensors can detect scene changes with much higher temporal resolution while maintaining full image output capability.
This dual-modality perception approach allows AI systems to achieve more stable and efficient visual perception in high-speed motion, high dynamic range, and complex lighting environments.
For rapidly developing AI applications—including robotics, autonomous driving, and intelligent devices—machines must not only see two-dimensional image details, spatial structure, and color, but also understand how environments evolve over time.
By introducing the temporal dimension alongside traditional visual information, hybrid vision sensors enable machines to more effectively perceive object motion, interactions, and environmental changes, significantly enhancing a system’s ability to understand the real world.
Reducing Data Redundancy for Efficient Edge AI
At the same time, traditional visual systems generate large amounts of redundant data during video capture, requiring substantial computational resources for processing.
Hybrid vision sensors adopt an event-driven sensing mechanism, outputting key information only when changes occur in a scene. This reduces redundant data generation at the source and provides more efficient data input for edge AI systems.
In the AI era, vision sensors are evolving from simple imaging devices into core interfaces through which machines perceive and understand the physical world.
CEO Perspective
Deng Jian, founder and CEO of AlpsenTek, said the rapid transition of AI from digital environments into the real world is reshaping the role of perception technologies.
“Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from digital space into the real world,” Deng said. “Future AI systems—whether robots, intelligent devices, or automated systems—will require continuous, real-time perception of the physical environment. Hybrid vision sensors were developed to meet this demand. By simultaneously providing image information and motion-change data, we aim to build a more efficient visual perception foundation for the next generation of intelligent systems.”
Building a Hybrid Vision Product Ecosystem
As a key innovator in hybrid vision technology, AlpsenTek has established a complete proprietary technology stack spanning pixel architecture, chip design, and vision algorithms, and has been among the first globally to achieve large-scale production of hybrid vision sensors.
In 2025, the company introduced the APX014 (ALPIX-Pizol) hybrid vision sensor designed for edge AI perception applications, along with the APX002 (ALPIX-Maloja) pure event-based vision sensor.
Together with the previously released APX003 series and APX004 series, the company has formed a growing product portfolio targeting applications across robotics, wearables, smart home devices, automotive electronics, and consumer electronics.
Accelerating Industry Adoption
AlpsenTek is currently collaborating with several leading global technology companies to advance the large-scale adoption of hybrid vision sensors in intelligent devices and AI systems.
Deng said the company is entering a stage of acceleration as AI vision technologies move toward mass deployment.
“We are now at a pivotal moment for AI vision technologies to move into large-scale applications,” Deng said. “Over the next decade, countless intelligent systems will enter the real world, and visual perception will be one of their most fundamental technologies. Our goal is to make hybrid vision sensors one of the key perception interfaces for next-generation intelligent devices.”
As AI and intelligent hardware continue to evolve, new visual perception technologies are entering an unprecedented phase of opportunity. AlpsenTek said it will continue advancing core technological innovation and product commercialization to expand hybrid vision sensing into more real-world applications.
In an era where AI is moving into the physical world, machines must first learn to see the world—and see its changes—efficiently.
Tuesday, April 07, 2026
SmartSens unveils 1" 50MP HDR CIS
Link: https://www.gizmochina.com/2026/03/27/smartsens-sc5a6xs-1inch-50mp-sensor-launch/
SmartSens unveils SC5A6XS 1-inch 50MP sensor, brings advanced HDR tech, 4K 120fps support
Chinese image sensor maker SmartSens has introduced a new camera sensor aimed at flagship smartphones. The SC5A6XS brings a 50-megapixel 1-inch format and focuses on improving dynamic range and video capabilities. The announcement highlights upgrades in HDR processing, low-light imaging, and power efficiency, setting the stage for next-generation mobile photography.
The SC5A6XS is built on a 22nm stacked process and integrates the brand’s upgraded Lofic HDR 3.0 technology. This system enhances image quality in challenging lighting by capturing a wider range of brightness levels. With a peak dynamic range of 115dB, the sensor aims to preserve highlight details while retaining shadow information in high-contrast scenes.
The HDR system works through multi-frame fusion within a single exposure, which also helps reduce motion artefacts. This is particularly useful in video scenarios where subjects or the camera are in motion. The sensor supports 4K video at 120fps, along with 4K 60fps recording in HDR mode, making it suitable for advanced video use cases on smartphones.
In terms of hardware, the sensor features a 1.6μm pixel size and incorporates SFCPixel technology to improve light sensitivity. With higher sensitivity and reduced read noise, it is designed to produce clearer images in dim conditions without excessive grain.
Autofocus is handled through a combination of full-pixel AllPix ADAF and partial pixel phase detection, allowing faster and more reliable focusing across different lighting environments. Additionally, the company has worked on reducing power consumption, with an approximate 11 percent improvement in HDR mode, which may help control device heating during extended video recording.
The SC5A6XS has already entered the sampling phase and is expected to move into mass production in the second quarter of 2026. It is likely to appear in upcoming flagship smartphones, probably the Huawei Pura 90 series, being the likely candidate, focusing heavily on camera performance.
Thursday, April 02, 2026
Sony announces new image sensor IMX908
[Update Apr 6, 2026: a previous version of this post incorrectly said "global shutter" in the title.]
Sensor specs: https://www.sony-semicon.com/en/products/is/security/security/IMX908.html
News: https://www.sony-semicon.com/en/news/2026/2026031701.html
Sony Semiconductor Solutions to Release 4K Image Sensor for Security Cameras with the Industry’s Smallest 1.45 µm LOFIC Pixels
Contributing to improved recognition precision with high image quality in high-contrast environments and dark scenes
Atsugi, Japan — Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony) today announced the upcoming release of the IMX908, a 4K CMOS image sensor for security cameras with the industry’s smallest 1.45 µm LOFIC pixels.
The new sensor uses the newly developed LOFIC pixels to achieve 96 dB high dynamic range imaging at 4K resolution with a single exposure. Building on this, improved low-light performance delivers high-quality imaging with reduced highlight blowout, loss of shadow detail, and noise in both high contrast environments and dark locations compared to conventional products.
The new sensor will expand Sony’s lineup of products with both high-resolution and high dynamic range for security camera applications, which require high-precision image recognition in a wide range of indoor and outdoor environments, thereby contributing to a safer and more secure society.
Security cameras have been widely used not just for security surveillance, but also in broad applications including monitoring public spaces such as urban areas and other facilities. As AI-based image recognition becomes a standard feature in cameras, the demand for image sensors that can provide stable and high-quality imaging in conditions from bright to dark continues to grow.
The IMX908 employs STARVIS 3™, Sony’s proprietary LOFIC pixel technology developed for security cameras. It enables nearly 20x the amount of saturated charge as conventional products and delivers an approximately 27% improvement in low-light performance, which makes for a dynamic range of 96 dB. Not using multiple exposures, the more common method for HDR imaging, this sensor also provides high dynamic range imaging with a single exposure to deliver high-definition images with fewer artifacts, even of scenes with moving subjects. Furthermore, Sony’s original pixel design has enabled all these features to be provided at the industry’s smallest LOFIC pixel size of 1.45 µm. By offering higher-quality 4K imaging even in high-contrast scenes and dark environments, the new product will contribute to improved recognition accuracy and multifunctionality in security cameras.
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Conference List - September 2026
IEEE 2026 International Conference on Multisensor Fusion and Integration for Intelligent Systems - 2-4 September 2026 - Pilsen, Czechia - Website
IEEE European Solid-State Electronics Research Conference - 7-10 September 2026 - Palma de Mallorca, Spain - Website
The 12th International Workshop on Semiconductor Pixel Detectors for Particles and Imaging, PIXEL2026 - 7-11 September 2026 - Miyazaki, Japan - Website
IEEE International Conference on Image Processing - 13-17 September 2026 - Tampere, Finland - Website
SPIE Sensors + Imaging 2026 - 14-17 September 2026 - Edinburgh, Scotland, UK - Website
Sensor Expo Japan - 16-18 September 2026 - Tokyo, Japan - Website
RADiation and its Effects on Components and Systems (RADECS) - 28 September-2 October 2026 - Prague, Czech Republic - Website
12th International Conference on Sensors and Electronic Instrumentation Advances - 30 September-2 October 2026 - Granada, Spain - Website
If you know about additional local conferences, please add them as comments.
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Friday, March 27, 2026
Curved large-format IR sensor
Paper link: https://opg.optica.org/oe/fulltext.cfm?uri=oe-34-4-6880
In a recently published paper in Optics Express titled "Highly curved large-format sensors for infrared imaging", O'Masta et al of HRL Laboratories LLC write:
A curved, rather than flat, photoreceptive surface requires fewer optical elements and enhances illumination and sensitivity uniformity for wide-field vision. While such designs are common in vertebrate eyes, creating manmade curved sensing surfaces using high-performance sensors has been technologically challenging. Here, we surpassed previous practices by manipulating the strain within a die using a ductile metal layer. This enabled scalability to large-format sensors, which are valuable for capturing wide viewing angles with high resolution. We showcased this methodology using two types of III-V compound semiconductor photodetectors for mid-wave infrared (MWIR) imaging. The radiometric response of a hybridized fanout chip curved to a solid angle of 0.24 sr – over 300% beyond the limit of standard methods – was evaluated. A fully imaging focal plane array curved to 0.11 sr exhibited >97% operability. This demonstration of a spherically curved, cryogenically cooled MWIR imaging sensor highlights the feasibility of curving sensors comprised of heterogeneous semiconductor layering, which are commonly used in infrared, visible, and ultraviolet imagers.
Pushing the limits for spherically curving existing imaging sensors, as demonstrated with an infrared focal plane array (FPA). (a) A simple lens naturally focuses light onto a curved rather than flat image surface. (b) Cross-sectional schematic showing heterogenous layering of a cryogenically-cooled, MWIR FPA, following post-processing steps to enhance curving potential. (c) Historical [2–10] and present chip solid angle as a function of chip size. Details are provided in Supplement 1, Table S2. The dashed line represents the predicted limit for curving bare semiconductor die developed here. (d) Image of MWIR hybridized fanout chip curved to a 0.24 sr solid angle.Mechanical failure modes when spherically curving bare semiconductor chips. Data is shown for a 37 mm side length, square Si die. (a) Image sequence of 60 µm thick Si die being curved to 0.08 sr, with the pneumatic pressure noted along top. Striped pattern is from reflection of a poster board to aid visualization of curvature. Die is imaged through a transparent Mylar film. (b) Fracture of an 80 µm thick die curved to 0.08 sr. (c) Buckling of a 40 µm thick die when curving to 0.12 sr. (d), (e) FEA simulations of the dies curved in (b) and (c), respectively. (f) Fracture (contour map) and buckling (greyed in region) predictions. Symbols show experimental values, with measured probabilities of fracture from 10 replicate specimens indicated by color. (g) Predicted maximum solid angle for square Si dies, assuming Pf = 30%.
Maps of the minimum thickness hcr to suppress buckling of a bare Si die. (a) Comparison of buckling criterion predictions (dashed lines) compared to FEA results (circles) for square die of side length L. Thicknesses below a given line are predicted to buckle. (b) Comparison of predictions (dashed line) to experimental values (squares) for an L = 37 mm square die.
A 16 megapixel, 10 µm pitch InAsSb bulk alloy based FPA curved to 0.11 sr. (a) Picture of the curved FPA after wire-bonding to the PCBA for testing. (b) Measured responsivity across the curved FPA. (c) Histogram of the responsivity.
Wednesday, March 25, 2026
eyeo opens new design center in Antwerp
Link: https://eyeo-imaging.com/eyeo-opens-new-design-center-in-antwerp/
eyeo opens new design center in Antwerp for next-generation color-splitting image sensors development
Opening March 17 at Antwerp Berchem’s MeetDistrict, the new office will house a dedicated expert design team delivering eyeo’s breakthrough color-splitting sensors to the world
Antwerp (Belgium), March 17 2026 – eyeo today announced the opening of a new office at MeetDistrict Berchem in Antwerp, Belgium. Located steps from well-connected Antwerp-Berchem train station, the new center will house a dedicated sensor design team focused on developing eyeo’s next generation of nanophotonic color-splitting image sensors, advancing the company’s mission to give all cameras perfect eyesight.
eyeo revolutionizes imaging for consumer, industrial, XR, smart city and mobile applications with color-splitting photonics technology that triples light sensitivity and breaks sensor resolution limits, unlocking picture quality, color accuracy and resolution never before possible in smartphones and beyond.
Scaling from Antwerp
Antwerp, with its vibrant sensor design ecosystem and access to exceptional engineering talent, is the natural home for eyeo’s next step: scaling its color splitting image sensors into production-ready designs for mobile, XR, smart city and other consumer applications. The new design center marks a strategic expansion as eyeo ramps up its commercialization roadmap.
Jeroen Hoet, co-founder and CEO of eyeo: “Our technology is ready to change imaging fundamentally. To deliver it at scale, eyeo is building a world-class image sensor design team in Antwerp. This is where breakthrough science will be engineered into the image sensors that power tomorrow’s cameras, impacting the 10 billion sensors sold every year.”
eyeo is hiring
eyeo is actively recruiting IC design and system architecture specialists to join the Antwerp team. If you are passionate about image sensing, like to work in the most advanced 3D stacked CMOS image sensor technologies and want to build the future of imaging, apply now: eyeo-imaging.com/vacancies





