High performance sensor supplier ams has been trying to make inroads in the growing market for 3D sensors. To this end, the company has announced a collaboration with SmartSens Technology, a global supplier of high-performance CMOS image sensors.
For ams, the collaboration highlights the company’s strategy on broadening its portfolio for 3D technologies, including Active Stereo Vision (ASV), Time-of-Flight (ToF) and Structured Light (SL), while accelerating time-to-market for a more differentiated set of new products. The partnership will initially focus on 3D Near Infrared (NIR) sensors for facial recognition and applications requiring a high Quantum Efficiency (QE) in the NIR range.
Both companies will collaborate on developing a 3D ASV reference design to support the planned future launch of a 1.3MP stacked BSI global shutter image sensor with state-of-the-art QE up to 40 percent at 940 nm. The reference design will enable high performance depth maps for payment, face recognition and AR/VR applications at a highly competitive total system cost.
“This collaboration with SmartSens in Image Sensors brings customers the benefit of a faster time to market for 3D Active Stereo Vision and Structured Light applications in mobile phones and other devices including IoT applications, based on ams’ industry-leading 3D technology and core IP on Voltage-Domain Global Shutter. The collaboration will also help accelerate time to market for exciting new automotive applications such as in-cabin 2D and 3D sensing,” says Stéphane Curral, executive vice president for the Division Image Sensor Solutions at ams, in a statement.
“We are pleased to partner with ams to combine our expertise in Image Sensors and NIR technology with ams’ 3D expertise and core Image Sensing IP. We believe this combination of robust technology and channel to market will provide an optimal solution to meet customer demand,” says Chris Yiu, chief marketing officer, SmartSens Technology.
Story source: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190703005390/en