onsemi's Hyperlux ID Depth Sensors Deliver Four Times the Range of Rival High-Speed iToF Designs
On-chip depth processing improves performance while a rethink on the sensing portion quadruples the usual range of iToF technology.
onsemi has announced a new depth sensor range, the Hyperlux ID AF013X family — claiming the parts to be the world's first real-time indirect time-of-flight (iToF) sensors with high precision over long distances and the ability to capture 3D images of fast-moving objects.
"Up until this point, iToF sensors have been limited in their use due to minimal range, poor performance in harsh light, and an inability to calculate depth on moving objects," the company claims in support of its latest launch. "With the ability to provide precision measurements of moving objects and high-resolution images, the Hyperlux ID family can help reduce errors and downtime and optimize processes in manufacturing systems to lower operational costs. Additionally, it can enhance facial recognition, gesture detection, and 3D video conferencing in commercial applications."
Time-of-flight (ToF) depth sensors work by firing out a pulse of laser or LED light and timing how long it takes the reflection to return. Indirect time-of-flight (ToF) sensors add a new element to the mix, sending out a continuous beam of modulated light and then measuring the difference in phase of the resulting reflection — delivering higher resolution and higher speed, but usually sacrificing range.
That's where onsemi claims its new Hyperlux ID family comes in. Using the company's proprietary global-shutter image sensor technology combined with on-board storage, the company says its new sensors work up to a distance of around 100 feet — four times that of rival designs. The sensors capture depth data and 1.2-megapixel monochrome visible-light images simultaneously, too, and are claimed to be better at rejecting external light sources.
The company is positioning the cameras as ideal for automation and robotics systems, for analysis during manufacturing and quality control, material handling and cargo transportation, agriculture and farming, and even in access control systems — claiming they can deliver high-accuracy facial recognition at speed.
More information on the Hyperlux ID AF013X sensor range is available on the official product page; pricing had not been disclosed at the time of writing, but the company had confirmed it will offer an AF0130 model with integrated on-chip depth processing and a cheaper AF0131, which relies on off-chip hardware for depth calculations.
