Low-power consumption, heavy-metal-free wide-spectrum image sensors for mass-market computer vision applications

Introduction

The imaging industry is experiencing a paradigm shift due to megatrends such as autonomous cars, the metaverse, and service robotics, all applications powered by computer vision (CV). This subset of artificial intelligence (AI) is expected to contribute more than €2 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

Current Challenges

Present imaging technologies were designed to fulfill the needs of humans for high-quality photography but not for machines. Autonomous and intelligent systems will require re-inventing image sensors to deliver reliability and resilience under low-visibility conditions while increasing the amount of information they capture and analyze.

Qurv, a company operating in this space that brings together unique world expertise, has identified power consumption and toxic materials as the common drawbacks of current solutions, hindering mass-market uptake.

Project Overview

To address these challenges, the project QSTACK will develop and validate a wide-spectrum image sensor technology and business case that delivers unprecedented cost performance to mass-market, power-sensitive computer vision applications.

Objectives

This ambitious overarching aim will be achieved through the following objectives:

1. Achieve the integration of high-performance wide-spectrum CMOS / TMDC / heavy-metal-free stack SWIR sensitive image sensors as demonstrated by imaging and electrical characterization analysis.
2. Achieve a reduction of the total image sensor’s power consumption, enabled by a >1,000x decrease in the pixel engine power consumption.
3. Increase the investment readiness of QSTACK, as demonstrated by the number of early users interested in pilots and evaluation kits, together with the creation of investment material.

Vision

QSTACK envisions putting the European semiconductor industry in an advantageous position to seize the opportunity in mass-market computer vision applications that will have an enormous impact on consumer electronics, personalized health, and safe mobility.