Albert Theuwissen Elected Electronic Imaging Scientist 2011

Albert Theuwissen, professor at the Delft University of Technology (Delft, the Netherlands) and CEO of Harvest Imaging (Bree, Belgium) was elected Electronic Imaging Scientist 2011 at the Electronic Imaging conference, one of the world’s largest events in the field of digital image sensors, electronic cameras and their applications, held in San Francisco from January 23rd-26th. Every year academic and industrial researchers from all over the world who are active in this field choose a colleague who has made valuable contributions to it. This year the honor was conferred upon Theuwissen, who has an impressive career in the field of image sensors.

“Theuwissen has demonstrated excellence and commanded the respect of his peers by making significant and substantial contributions to the field of electronic imaging via research, publications, and/or service which led to this award,” Majid Rabbani and Gaurav Sharma, the chairmen of this year's award committee, said.

From 1983 to 2002 Theuwissen worked with Philips Research in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, on charge-coupled devices (CCDs), also called bucket brigade memories, first as a researcher, and later as department head of the research group involved in digital image sensors. When this group ended up being part of the Canadian company DALSA in 2002, Theuwissen as chief technology officer was responsible for all research and technical development in that company.

In the early days of digital image sensors CCDs generated images of better quality than image sensors made with CMOS-technology, the prevailing semiconductor technology. Today most image sensors that are part of video cameras, photo cameras and cameras in mobile communication equipment, are made in CMOS technology. Theuwissen was involved in research concerning all aspects of image sensors: pixel size, speed, sensor size, sensitivity.

In 2007 Theuwissen left DALSA and founded Harvest Imaging, a company involved in consultancy, coaching and training in the field of digital image sensors. Projects range from specification of image sensors for specific applications to forensic research in homicide cases. Furthermore, he is co-founder of ImageSensors Inc, a non-profit public organization serving the R&D-workers in the field of image sensors by investigating their needs and looking after their interests. He has written more than 160 scientific papers and is, amongst other things, an IEEE Fellow.

From 2001 onwards, Theuwissen has been professor at the Delft Technical University where he teaches solid-state image sensors and supervises master students and PhD students in their research work. Unfortunately he was unable to attend the award ceremony in person because one of his students had to defend his PhD thesis on the same day.

Congratulations Albert!