Using the time-of-flight (ToF) principle, a ToF sensor measures the distance between the sensor and an object. The sensor emits a signal that is reflected off an object and then detects the time for a round trip to occur. Typically, either light or sound waves can provide the transmitted signal. In either case, the distance […]
Image sensing
ToF sensor maps 3D surfaces
STMicroelectronics has announced a new family of high-resolution Time-of-Flight sensors that bring advanced 3D depth imaging to smartphones and other devices. The 3D family debuts with the VD55H1. This sensor maps three-dimensional surfaces by measuring the distance to over half a million points. Objects can be detected up to five meters from the sensor, and even further […]
Robot solution for automating the lettuce harvest
Lettuce is a valuable crop in Europe and the USA. But labor shortages make it difficult to harvest this valuable field vegetable, as sourcing sufficient seasonal labor to meet harvesting commitments is one of the sector’s biggest challenges. Moreover, with wage inflation rising faster than producer prices, margins are very tight. In England, agricultural technology […]
How can you sense ripening fruit?
A diet high in fruit (and vegetables) can reduce the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, inflammation and diabetes. But the fruit needs to be fresh for a sustainable, healthy diet. Several techniques are being used to detect ripening fruit. One company, smartGAS in Germany, has two different sensors to detect the ethylene (C2H4) that […]
How can you see through walls?
It depends on what you want to “see” and how much you want to pay. To locate a stud, the old school technique of tapping a tool on the wall for acoustic differences used hearing rather than sight and it was free. Initially, battery-operated stud finders used magnets to find screws and nails and provided […]
Special architecture lets CMOS image sensors double saturation signal level, widen dynamic range, reduce noise
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (“Sony”) has succeeded in developing the world’s first*1 stacked CMOS image sensor technology with 2-Layer Transistor Pixel. Whereas conventional CMOS image sensors’ photodiodes and pixel transistors occupy the same substrate, Sony’s new technology separates photodiodes and pixel transistors on different substrate layers. This new architecture approximately doubles*2 saturation signal level*3 relative to conventional […]
What is the newest addition to the PillCam?
For more than 20 years, Medtronic’s PillCam capsule endoscopy has been used as a minimally invasive, patient-friendly option for the detection of gastrointestinal diseases. Most recently, the company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted 510(k) clearance for its PillCam Small Bowel 3 system for remote endoscopy procedures. Working with Amazon logistics […]
What sensors are in Spot, the robotic dog?
While it has been over 6 years since the unusual gait of Boston Dynamics’ robotic dog first caught people’s attention and over 2 years since its Spot robot dog went on sale, the robot’s capabilities continue to impress. Besides going up and down stairs, its recent appearance in dance routines could be its best trick […]
How is the CMOS image sensor market doing?
A recent Strategy Analytics research report observed that the smartphone CMOS image sensor (CIS) market achieved a revenue growth of more than 10 percent year-over-year in H1 2021. Sony Semiconductor held the top spot with 42 percent revenue share followed by Samsung System LSI and OmniVision Technologies. Together, the top three vendors captured almost 80 […]
CMOS 8.3-MP image sensor compatible with UV wavelengths
Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Sony) announced the commercialization of the IMX487, a 2/3-type CMOS image sensor for industrial equipment, which is compatible with the UV (ultraviolet light) wavelength and comes with global shutter functionality and the industry’s highest*1 effective pixel count of approximately 8.13 megapixels.*2 This product delivers a high level of UV sensitivity and high-quality […]