Omnivision Unveils World's First RGB-IR Endoscopic Sensor

BusinessWire: OmniVision announces the OH02A1S said to be the world’s first RGB-IR medical image sensor, which provides simultaneous white-light RGB captures and infrared monochrome captures in a single CMOS sensor.

While endoscopic precancer and cancer detection procedures are performed using IR light, surgeons also need RGB light to confirm any abnormalities detected using infrared. Previously, this could only be accomplished by integrating two independent imager sensors, which resulted in endoscopes with a larger size, higher cost and higher power consumption, thereby excessively heating the tip of the endoscope. The  OH02A1S enables the designers of chip-on-tip endoscopes for cancer detection to eliminate a second image sensor, thereby overcoming the drawbacks of a two imager design. These improvements allow the development of small outer diameter (OD) endoscopes for cancer detection and diagnosis procedures such as indocyanine green (ICG), and fluorescence, chromo and virtual endoscopy. 

“Until now, the need for two image sensors made the size and heat of endoscopes excessive for many areas of the body. Additionally, the added cost was too high for disposable scopes,” said Tehzeeb Gunja, director of medical marketing at OmniVision. “The OH02A1S significantly expands the number and reach of endoscopic procedures that can be performed, while reducing design complexity and making RGB-IR sensing affordable in disposable endoscopes for the first time.”

The OH02A1S features the 1.4um PureCel pixel architecture with 4x4 binning for the highest image quality. This architecture offers high QE for low-light performance, and a high DR. The sensor can provide 1080p resolution at 60 fps or 720p at 90 fps, via a 2-lane MIPI serial output. The OH02A1S also integrates 2 kilobits of one-time programmable memory on-chip. It consumes just 90 mw at full power, generating less heat for greater patient comfort.

The new OH02A1S  sensor is available today in a 1/6-inch optical format and a compact 3.8x2.9mm chip-scale package.