18th International Conference on Sensing Technology (ICST2026) - 7-9 December 2026 - Sydney, Australia - Website
International Technical Exhibition on Image Technology and Equipment (ITE) - 2-4 December 2026 - Yokohama, Japan - Website
IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting - 12-16 December 2026 - San Francisco, CA, USA - Website
If you know about additional local conferences, please add them as comments.
Return to Conference List index
Press release: https://www.usa.canon.com/newsroom/2026/20260415-camera
Canon U.S.A. Sets New Standard in Low-Light Imaging with the Launch of the MS-510 Multi-Purpose Camera at NAB 2026
Featuring a new Canon 1-inch SPAD sensor, the MS-510 delivers impressive low-light and long-range performance for ultra-low-light environments
MELVILLE, N.Y., April 15, 2026 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the release of the MS-510, an innovative multi-purpose camera engineered to meet the rigorous demands of ultra-low-light full-color video shooting. Building on the success of the MS-500, the new MS-510 is designed to deliver high-fidelity captures of everything from nocturnal wildlife and natural nightscapes to high-security areas such as seaports, public infrastructure facilities, and national borders where "seeing the unseen" is a mission-critical requirement.
In response to increasing demands for excellent performance in near-total darkness, the MS-510 features a new Canon 1-inch Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) sensor with the world’s highest number of pixels at approximately 3.2 million with improved Near-Infrared (NIR) sensitivity.
By leveraging this technology, the camera achieves a minimum subject illumination of 0.0006 lux, a significant improvement over the 0.001 lux of its predecessor. This allows for bright, full-color imaging in ultra-low-light environments where traditional cameras can fail. Furthermore, the MS-510 boasts improved NIR capabilities, providing a tactical advantage for night-mode operations and long-distance detection.
The MS-510 is not just a camera; it is a sophisticated tool for critical infrastructure monitoring and law enforcement. Key features include:
Designed to fit into existing security ecosystems, the MS-510 shares common protocols with the MS-500, including NU, Pelco-D®, ONVIF®, and WebView. It offers versatile output options, including 3G/HD-SDI for high-quality video feeds and a LAN terminal for IP-based camera control and distribution.
Why Samsung Can't Beat Sony's Image Sensors:
China’s Newest Tech Billionaire Made His Fortune From Developing Image Sensor Chips For Robotics:
Jinwen Wei and Liangcai Cao, "Compact Neural Pancake Camera for High-Perceptual-Quality Foveated Imaging," ACS Photonics (2026).
Link: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsphotonics.6c00691
Pancake catadioptric optics utilize optical folding to effectively reduce the optical-path thickness in virtual-reality display systems. However, limited optical throughput and optical degradation make image reconstruction for pancake cameras severely ill-posed, hindering broader imaging applications. In this article, we propose a neural pancake camera with adaptive-prior deconvolution, achieving compact, high-perceptual-quality imaging. By introducing latent-space projection, adaptive prior deconvolution alleviates the trade-off between pixel fidelity and perceptual quality and addresses the excessive smoothing inherent in conventional pixelwise optimization. The proposed neural pancake camera reduces the ratio of axial length to physical aperture diameter by 3.2 times compared with other flat cameras with high imaging quality. Experiments and ablation studies substantiate that the proposed adaptive prior deconvolution improves perceptual quality by 70%, as measured by CLIP-IQA, while also outperforming the state-of-the-art deep learning models on pixel-level fidelity. As a representative application of the proposed neural Pancake camera, this work further showcases bioinspired foveated imaging, highlighting its potential for bandwidth-efficient imaging in next-generation edge and portable devices.
Figure 1. Pipeline of the proposed neural Pancake camera. (a) Conceptual illustration of the proposed compact Pancake camera scheme. (b) The inherent trade-off between perceptual quality and pixel-level quality of computational imaging. This work proposes adaptive prior deconvolution to promote the perceptual imaging quality of Pancake cameras while improving pixel fidelity. (c) Overview of the training process of the end-to-end adaptive prior deconvolution. The framework operates by optimizing the learnable deconvolution network while leveraging a latent natural-image manifold prior, anchoring the restoration output to the natural image manifold to reconcile the perceptual-pixel trade-off.
Figure 3. Quantitative evaluation and visualization of the adaptive-prior deconvolution. (a) Schematic illustration of the inference process based on the adaptive-manifold prior. (b) Quantitative performance profiles of averaged MUSIQ, SSIM, and PP-IQA across inference steps. (c) Visual comparisons demonstrating the effects of the low prior, the adaptively selected proper prior, and the over-prior.
Figure 4. Demonstration of neural Pancake camera-based foveated imaging. (a) Schematic illustration of foveated imaging in the human visual system. (b) Profiles of high-frequency content proportion and relative acuity versus field of view. (c) Comparison of reconstructed and raw-captured images across different fields of view.
Link: https://imagesensors.org/CFP2027/fcfp2027.pdf
FIRST CALL FOR PAPERS ABSTRACTS DUE Dec 10, 2026
2027 International Image Sensor Workshop
The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, BC, Canada
June 13-17, 2027
The 2027 International Image Sensor Workshop (IISW) provides a biennial opportunity to present innovative work in the area of solid-state image sensors and share new results with the image sensor community. The event is intended for image sensor technologists; in order to encourage attendee interaction and a shared experience, attendance is limited, with strong acceptance preference given to workshop presenters. As is its tradition, the 2027 workshop will emphasize an open exchange of information among participants in an informal, secluded setting besides Whistler, BC, Canada.
The scope of the workshop includes all aspects of electronic image sensor design and development. In addition to regular oral and flash presentation papers, the workshop will include invited talks and announcement of International Image Sensors Society (IISS) Award winners.
Image Sensor Design and Performance
CMOS imagers, CCD imagers, SPAD sensors
New and disruptive architectures
Global shutter image sensors
Low noise readout circuitry, ADC designs
Single photon sensitivity sensors
High frame rate image sensors
High dynamic range sensors
Low voltage and low power imagers
High image quality; Low noise; High sensitivity
Improved color reproduction
Non-standard color patterns with special digital processing
Imaging system-on-a-chip, On-chip image processing
Event-based image sensors
Pixels and Image Sensor Device Physics
New devices and pixel structures
Advanced materials
Ultra miniaturized pixels development, testing, and characterization
New device physics and phenomena
Electron multiplication pixels
Techniques for increasing QE, well capacity, reducing
crosstalk, and improving angular response
Front side illuminated, back side illuminated, and
stacked pixels and pixel arrays
Pixel simulation: Optical and electrical simulation, 2D and
3D, CAD for design and simulation, improved models
Application Specific Imagers
Image sensors and pixels for range sensing: TOF, RGBZ,
Structured light, Stereo imaging, etc.
Image sensors with enhanced spectral sensitivity (NIR, UV, IR)
Sensors for DSC, DSLR, mobile, digital video cameras and mirror-less cameras
Array imagers and sensors for multi-aperture imaging, computational imaging, and machine learning
Sensors for medical applications, microbiology, genome sequencing
High energy photon and particle sensors (X-ray, radiation)
Line arrays, TDI, Very large format imagers
Multi and hyperspectral imagers
Polarization sensitive imagers
Image sensor manufacturing and testing
New manufacturing techniques
Wafer-on-wafer and chip-on-wafer stacking technologies
Backside thinning
New characterization methods
Packaging and testing: reliability, yield, cost
Defects, noises, and leakage currents
Radiation damage and radiation hard imagers
On-chip optics
Advanced optical path, color filters, microlens, light guides
Nanotechnologies for Imaging
Wafer level cameras
Submission of abstracts:
An abstract should consist of a single page of maximum 500-words text with up to two pages of
illustrations (3 pages maximum), and include authors’ name(s) and affiliation, mailing address,
telephone and e-mail address.
The deadline for abstract submission is 11:59pm, Thursday Dec 10th, 2026 (PST).
To submit an abstract, please go to: https://cmt3.research.microsoft.com/IISW2027
Above website should be open by Aug 1st, 2026.
The first time you visit the paper submission site, you'll need to click on "Create Account". Once you create and verify your account with your email address, you will be able to submit abstracts by logging in and clicking “Create New Submission”.
Please visit http://imagesensors.org/CFP2027 for complete instructions and any updates to the
abstract and paper submission procedures.
Abstracts will be considered on the basis of originality and quality. High quality papers on work in progress are also welcome. Abstracts will be reviewed confidentially by the Technical Program
Committee.
Key Dates
Authors will be notified of the acceptance of their abstract by February 12th, 2027.
Final-form 4-page paper submission date is March 20th, 2027.
Presentation material submission date is April 30th, 2027.
Location and format:
The IISW 2027 will be held at the Westin Resort & Spa in Whistler, British Columbia in Canada.
Registration, Workshop fee and Program:
The Workshop Program and registration details will be provided in the Final Announcement of the Workshop.
In a paper titled "Design and Optimization of a Twisted Photodiode Pixel Structure for All-Directional Phase-Detection Autofocus CMOS Image Sensors" a team from Canon write:
To achieve an all-directional and high-speed, high-accuracy autofocus (AF) function, we propose a CMOS image sensor with a Twisted Photodiode (PD) structure. The developed 3D-stacked back-side illuminated (BSI) sensor employs the Twisted PD, which enables equivalent angular response characteristics in both the horizontal and vertical directions for the two PDs integrated within a single pixel, thereby realizing AF detection for all pixels and all directions. This paper describes the Twisted PD structure that enables all-directional AF and presents an analysis of charge transfer behavior in this unique 3D configuration. In this paper, “all-directional” refers to robustness with respect to subject direction.
This paper was published in the IISW2025 special issue of Sensors.
Link: https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/26/6/1758
Omnivision is listed on HKSE https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/chinas-omnivision-open-slightly-higher-hong-kong-trading-debut-2026-01-12/
ESA, CNES, AIRBUS DEFENCE & SPACE, ISAE-SUPAERO, OHB, SODERN, and THALES ALENIA SPACE are pleased to invite you to:
VISSA: VISible detection for Space Applications, the 9th iteration of the workshop series known as “Space & Scientific CMOS Image Sensors”
Please find attached the CALL FOR ABSTRACTS for the workshop planned for 24 and 25 November at ESA-ESTEC, The Netherlands.
This is a very popular event and has become one of the main European technical exchanges on CMOS image sensors. The aim of this workshop is to focus on latest developments in advanced image sensors for scientific and space applications targeting wavelengths shorter than 1.1 μm.
The deadline for abstract submission is 4 September 2026.
Please send a short abstract on one A4 page maximum in word or pdf format giving the
title, the author name(s) and affiliation(s), and presenting the subject of your talk, to
matthew.soman@esa.int and valerian.lalucaa@cnes.fr
Abstracts shall preferably address one or more of the following topics:
• Pixel design (high QE, FWC, MTF optimization, low lag, …)
• Electrical design (low noise amplifiers, shutter, CDS, high speed architectures, TDI, HDR, …)
• On-chip ADC or TDC (in pixel, column, …)
• On-chip processing (smart sensors, multiple gains, summation, corrections)
• Low-light detection (electron multiplication, avalanche photodiodes, quanta image sensors, …)
• Photon counting, Time resolving detectors (gated, time-correlated single-photon counting, …)
• Hyperspectral architectures
• Materials (thin film, optical layers, dopant, high-resistivity, amorphous Si, …)
• Processes (backside thinning, hybridization, 3D stacking, anti-reflection coating, …)
• Packaging
• Optical design (micro-lenses, trench isolation, filters, …)
• Large size devices (stitching, butting, …)
• High speed interfaces
• Focal plane architectures
• CMOS image sensors with recent space heritage showing in-flight performance
Workshop format & official language
Oral presentations shall be requested for the workshop. The official workshop language is English.
Slide submission
After abstract acceptance notification, the authors will be requested to prepare their presentation in pdf
or Powerpoint file format, to be presented at the workshop. Authors will also be required to provide a
version to the organizing committee along with an authorization to make it available for Workshop
attendees, and on-line for the COMET members. No proceedings will be compiled and so no detailed
manuscript needs to be submitted.
Registration
Registration fee : Attendees: 120 Euro // students: 60 Euro
On-line registration link will be sent at registration opening.
Exhibition/Sponsorship:
Booths will be available during the workshop. If you are interested to exhibit, please contact the
organizing committee.
Product overview page: https://www.sony-semicon.com/en/products/is/scientific/x-ray.html
The IMX711 is an X-ray image sensor that employs a direct conversion and integration type CMOS technology, in which X-rays and electron beams are detected directly.
It uses proprietary technology to achieve both high-speed capture and low noise performance, enabling the detection of weak single-photon signals, which is difficult with conventional integration type sensors.
This technology enables measurement with a wider dynamic range than conventional methods, offering from single-photon detection under low-flux conditions to stable and high-accuracy measurement in high-flux conditions.
The image sensor can capture energy, spatial, and temporal information simultaneously, which contributes to better measurement accuracy, measurement throughput, and flexible post-processing depending on the application and use casein advanced device inspection and scientific measurements such as materials science and life sciences.
In a June 2026 paper titled "A 400×400 3.24-μm 117-dB Dynamic Range Three-Layer Stacked Digital Pixel Sensor With Triple Quantization and Fixed Pattern Noise Correction" published in IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, a team from Brillnics, Meta, and SesameAI* write:
This article presents a 400×400 digital pixel sensor (DPS) with a 3.24 μm pixel pitch, fabricated using a 45/40/40 nm three-layer stacked process. The sensor achieves single-exposure high dynamic range (SEHDR) through overlapped triple quantization (3Q), fixed pattern noise correction (FPN-C), and black level correction (BLC). An on-chip image signal processor (ISP) is integrated to support defect pixel correction (DPC), SEHDR linearization, and gamma correction. Sparse transmission (ST) is incorporated to reduce transmitted data volume and, consequently, transmission power consumption. A wafer-level chip-scale package (WLCSP) with two redistribution layers (RDLs) is employed, resulting in a compact form factor of 2.47×1.85 mm^2. This work achieves a dynamic range (DR) of 117 dB while consuming 2.45 mW at 30 frames/s (fps), yielding a figure of merit (FoM) of 0.0046 e- rms pJ, and is developed to meet the growing demands of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications.
Full paper: https://doi.org/10.1109/TED.2026.3687537
* Sesame AI (https://www.sesame.com/) is developing "conversational AI agents", with a smart glasses product slated for 2027.
IEEE Nuclear Science Symposium, Medical Imaging Conference, and Room-Temperature Semiconductor Detectors Symposium - 7-14 November 2026 - Granada, Spain - Website
SPIE Future Sensing Technologies 2026 - 9-12 November 2026 - Yokohama, Japan - Website - (co-located with SPIE Asia-Pacific Remote Sensing and Photonics Innovation)
Sensing with Quantum Light (SQL26) - 9-13 November 2026 - Cologne, Germany - Website
electronica - 10-13 November 2026- Munich Germany - Website
Compamed - 16-19 November 2026 - Dusseldorf, Germany - Website
Sensors 2026 - 19-21 November 2026 - Osaka, Japan - Website
18th Symposium Sensor Data Fusion: Trends, Solutions and Applications - Bonn, Germany - 23-25 November 2026 - Website
9th VISSA: Visible Detection for Space Applications - 24-25 November 2026 - Noordwijk, the Netherlands - Website
RSNA 2026 - 29 November-3 December 2026 - Chicago, Illinois, USA - Website
If you know about additional local conferences, please add them as comments.
Return to Conference List index
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).
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.
Return to Conference List index
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:
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.
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.
[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.
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.
Return to Conference List index
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.
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
Link: https://www.huaweicentral.com/huaweis-first-1-inch-camera-sensor-is-ready-with-new-imaging-tech/
Huawei’s first 1-inch camera sensor is ready with new imaging tech
...
This new sensor is a 50MP camera with a 1/1.3-inch format. It uses an RYYB (Red, Yellow, Yellow, Blue) filter array that allows 40% more light to reach the sensor.RYYB sensors enhance low-light performance with noise reduction in dark scenarios and improve the overall dynamic range to offer brighter and more detailed images even under challenging conditions.
On the flip side, the 1-inch camera sensor is paired with DCG and HDR technology. DCG refers to Dual Conversion Gain technology that boosts the image quality by capturing a single exposure with two different gains – high and low simultaneously.
...
Settembrini et al from Pointcloud GmbH (Zürich, Switzerland) published a paper titled "A large-scale coherent 4D imaging sensor" in Nature magazine.
Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-026-10183-6
Abstract: Detailed and accurate 3D mapping of dynamic environments is essential for machines to interface with their surroundings and for human–machine interaction. Although considerable effort has been made to create the equivalent of the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor for the 3D world, scalable, high-performance, reliable solutions have proven elusive. Focal plane array (FPA) sensors using frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) have shown potential to meet all of these requirements and also provide direct measurement of radial velocity as a fourth dimension. Previous demonstrations, although promising, have not achieved the simultaneous scale and performance required by commercial applications. Here we present a large-scale, coherent LiDAR FPA enabled by comprehensive chip-scale optoelectronic integration. A 4D imaging camera is built around the FPA and used to acquire point clouds. At the core is a 352 × 176-pixel 2D FMCW LiDAR FPA comprising more than 0.6 million photonic components, all integrated on-chip together with their associated electronics. This represents a five times increase in pixel count with respect to previous demonstrations. The pixel architecture combines the outbound and inbound optical paths within the pixel in a monostatic configuration, together with coherent detectors and electronics. Frequency-modulated light is directed sequentially to groups of pixels by in-plane thermo-optic switches with integrated electronics for driving and calibration. An integrated serial digital interface controls both optical switching and readout synchronously. Point clouds of objects ranging from 4 to 65 m with per-pixel integration time compatible with frame rates from 3 to 15 frames per second (fps) are shown. This result demonstrates the capabilities of FMCW LiDAR FPA sensors as enablers of ubiquitous, low-cost, compact coherent 4D imaging cameras.
a, The architecture contains an imaging chip that simultaneously functions as both transmitter and receiver. The light path from the chip to target (owl) is determined by the optical lens system. b, Microscope image of the chip, showing the active optical area and thermo-optical switching network. c, Schematic of the light path selection process on the imaging chip. *Some of the outputs of the first-level switches are not connected.
a, Schematic representation of the coherent FPA block. The modulated light is routed to a single 8-pixel row, illuminating a subsection of the scene. The in-plane rotation and emission angle of each grating coupler pair are adjusted to enhance detection efficiency. b, Schematic image of a single coherent pixel, including grating coupler pairs, balanced germanium photodetectors and an integrated TIA. c, Schematic image of a single element of the concave microlens array deposited on-chip to increase light-coupling efficiency.
a, Point cloud of an office scene (6–11 m) obtained by a single acquisition using the entire imaging array with a f = 35 mm focal length lens. b, Point cloud from two buildings located 20–65 m away, obtained by coherently averaging four acquisitions with a f = 50 mm focal length lens. c, Velocity-annotated point cloud of the disc that is rotating about its vertical axis, obtained using a single acquisition with a f = 35 mm focal length lens. d–f, Photographs of the scenes in a–c. Red rectangles denote the regions of interest.
