Pixon Unveils ExDRA Software

PRNewswire: Pixon Imaging announces its new Extended Dynamic Range Architecture (ExDRA) - an software technique that improves low-light-level imaging in cell phone and other CMOS/CCD -based cameras. The technique utilizes charge binning, combining a full megapixel image of bright objects with a higher-sensitivity binned image of faint objects, all performed in one frame time. ExDRA delivers a low light performance that is an order of magnitude (or better) than current methods.

For example, Google's new Pixel 3 "Night Sight", employs up to 15 images to improve low-light sensitivity. This mimics the sensitivity of a longer exposure, but requires stationary objects, and cannot approach the sensitivity of the algorithmically simpler ExDRA. Alternative performance improving methods employed by other cell phone manufacturers require the use of multiple cameras, adding hardware costs and software complexity.

"The ExDRA technique captures both the high-resolution and high-sensitivity images simultaneously from a single CMOS/CCD sensor," reports Rick Puetter, Pixon's Chief Scientist. "This makes it possible to produce images and videos of scenes in low light with exceptional clarity and uniformity."

ExDRA is comprised entirely of software and is suited for integration into mobile phone cameras. It can also be implemented as an App, with little lead time, for use with existing devices.