Wilson's Websites

Because CMOS image sensors integrate several functions on a tiny chip, cost less, and consume less power than CCD sensors, they are expected to experience increasing popularity, particularly in applications such as PC cameras and mobile phones. But, despite the increasing popularity of CMOS devices, CCDs will continue to dominate in high-margin, low-volume applications such as medical, scientific, and industrial cameras. Active pixelswww.trexhawaii.comBased in Maui, HI, Trex Enterprises is developing a range of active-pixel image sensors for use in consumer, military, and medical products. The company's Web site provides a description of the technology used to fabricate the sensors, the differences between CCDs and CMOS devices, and details of some of its products: the DVI-02, 1920 x 1080-pixel, CMOS active-pixel sensor with a 30-Hz frame rate; the FireCam2000 1920 x 1080-pixel camera with a 3-Hz frame rate; and the DVI-02-PC 1920 x 1080-pixel, real-time PC-based, video-recording evaluation system.

Click here to enlarge imageHigh-speed deviceswww.photobit.comUsing active-pixel technology invented at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Photobit (Pasadena, CA) offers a line of CMOS image sensors for consumer, commercial, and industrial applications. The company's site presents informative papers on CMOS sensor advantages, lens selection, image formats, and color processing. You'll find a description of the company's CIF, VGA, color, and high-speed image sensors.

Click here to enlarge imageDigital pixelswww.pixim.comPixim (Mountain View, CA) will soon introduce its Digital Pixel System (DPS)—a result of research and development at Stanford University. According to the company, this device will combine all the functions required for a camera on a chip. Although product information is scarce, the company does supply a DPS technology overview after you enter your e-mail address and the company sends you a password.Linescan arrayswww.photon-vision.comUsing its active column sensor (ACS) technology, Photon Vision Systems (Homer, NY) offers a range of CMOS imaging sensors and single-chip camera systems. These products include the LIS series of linear devices that offer resolutions from 1 x 128 pixels to 1 x 1024 pixels, and the SLIS-2048, a 2048 x 1-pixel linear imager that is expected to sample this quarter. Logarithmic lightwww.vector-international.be/C-Cam/sensors.htmlC-Cam Technologies, a division of Vector International (Leuven, Belgium), offers image sensors and cameras based on CMOS technology. Its Web site describes the company's series of Fuga logarithmic response sensors that can measure large light differences in single images. As well, the company has developed a series of color LVDS and FireWire cameras based on its technology.

Click here to enlarge imageHigh-speed CMOSwww.fillfactory.comAt the October VISION 2001 show in Stuttgart, Germany, FillFactory (Mechelen, Belgium) demonstrated its LUPA1300 1.3-Mpixel, high-speed CMOS image sensor with pipelined synchronous shutter and 450-frame/s rate. The company also announced its STAR250 radiation-tolerant CMOS image sensor with 512 x 512 pixels. Details of both these products are listed on the company's Web site, along with data sheets of other CMOS imagers, technology white papers, application notes, and distributor information.