Over the last 20 years in image sensor integration into cameras the technical progress was fascinating and it seems to be more and more fascinating what is ahead. Its really cool what this companies are able to manufacture. Some 15 years back I never thought to see a BSI GS, stacking of wafers with contacts in every pixel, ADCs that can output x1000s of MPixel/second. Such complexity in such a quality - for a few $. Semiconductor Manufacturing as a whole is fascinating, the accuracy of the frontend tools, the complexity of the fabrication process and that many steps that have to be done at 99,9999...% yield. Take the complexity and technical beauty of all the components in a cellphone - not just the cameras - also other things like MEMS sensors etc., you can buy for a few 100$, it is breahtaking. Its cool to be able to spend parts of my professional life in such an interseting environment ;-)
FlIR have been teasing us with these new sensors for a long time and nothing has been available for purchase. If you follow the link it goes to the same old version 3 page and a dead link to version 4 which has been the same for many months. Several requests during the last months for information when the cameras will be available has resulted in no response or coming soon. We need to make a purchase decision for new hardware soon so possibly FLIR will miss out. It would be helpful if we could be informed of their availability even if it is some months away.
I dont know of your company/project structure, but did you ever consider to build your own camera instead of buying it? The whole technical complexity is in the image sensor and with CIS the interfaces are not that complicated. It is for sure harder to design a camera than to buy one, but not that much. If you have mechanical, electronics design and fpga guys its doable. It is actualy easier than you might think, IP cores can be bought for the core technologies and there are also companies that help you, for example there are EMS companies that assemble and test the cameras. What is a camera actually on top of the CIS? power supply, mechanics to mount the sensor and a bit of communication. And - you get a lot of additional benefits. You can skip the parts you dont need, use features that are not there in mainstream cameras and differentiate your end product from products that use cameras everyone can buy. We do so (with less people than you might think) since some years and we get really good results.
Over the last 20 years in image sensor integration into cameras the technical progress was fascinating and it seems to be more and more fascinating what is ahead. Its really cool what this companies are able to manufacture. Some 15 years back I never thought to see a BSI GS, stacking of wafers with contacts in every pixel, ADCs that can output x1000s of MPixel/second. Such complexity in such a quality - for a few $. Semiconductor Manufacturing as a whole is fascinating, the accuracy of the frontend tools, the complexity of the fabrication process and that many steps that have to be done at 99,9999...% yield. Take the complexity and technical beauty of all the components in a cellphone - not just the cameras - also other things like MEMS sensors etc., you can buy for a few 100$, it is breahtaking. Its cool to be able to spend parts of my professional life in such an interseting environment ;-)
ReplyDeleteFlIR have been teasing us with these new sensors for a long time and nothing has been available for purchase. If you follow the link it goes to the same old version 3 page and a dead link to version 4 which has been the same for many months. Several requests during the last months for information when the cameras will be available has resulted in no response or coming soon. We need to make a purchase decision for new hardware soon so possibly FLIR will miss out. It would be helpful if we could be informed of their availability even if it is some months away.
ReplyDeleteI dont know of your company/project structure, but did you ever consider to build your own camera instead of buying it? The whole technical complexity is in the image sensor and with CIS the interfaces are not that complicated. It is for sure harder to design a camera than to buy one, but not that much. If you have mechanical, electronics design and fpga guys its doable. It is actualy easier than you might think, IP cores can be bought for the core technologies and there are also companies that help you, for example there are EMS companies that assemble and test the cameras. What is a camera actually on top of the CIS? power supply, mechanics to mount the sensor and a bit of communication. And - you get a lot of additional benefits. You can skip the parts you dont need, use features that are not there in mainstream cameras and differentiate your end product from products that use cameras everyone can buy. We do so (with less people than you might think) since some years and we get really good results.
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