Imaging and smart sensors are essential for the Internet of Things to become a reality. In order for the objects and machines around us to adapt and anticipate our changing needs, they must be able to gather and act upon relevant data from their surroundings quickly and cost-effectively.
We have pioneered a new class of computational imagers ideally suited for ubiquitous sensing with our ultra-miniature Lensless Smart Sensors (LSS). LSS take a novel approach to reduce the size, cost and power consumption for sensing and imaging by replacing the lens with a low-cost diffraction grating attached directly to the image sensor array. Each grating has a unique design that creates a predictable and pattern on the sensor that is used to capture data-rich images and information about its surroundings.
The gratings and sensors are combined with computational algorithms optimized for specific applications. The net result is a smart sensor with a smaller form factor, better power efficiency, greater precision, and lower cost compared to a traditional image sensor with computer vision. LSS can be used for a broad range of tasks including point tracking, gesture recognition, change detection, motion flow and range finding.