Swiss researchers develop small package for ‘machine vision’

Researchers at the CSEM say they have developed the most compact vision-in-package. The standalone ‘vip’ is about a cubic centimeter in size and contains an optical sensor, an ARM soc and storage memory.

The vision-in-a-package is 18.5 x 18.5mm long and wide, and only 3mm high. The optical sensor offers a resolution of 752×480 pixels, with HDR supported. Furthermore, the module contains an ARM Cortex M4F soc and 2MB flash storage for the firmware. There is 64MB of RAM available, while wireless communication is possible via Bluetooth on the 2.4GHz frequency.

According to the developers, the VIP module is three times smaller than existing optical modules and is widely applicable, partly due to the low cost and simple design. These include the function of a ‘smart sensor’ for Internet-of-things applications, robotic guidance and autonomous vehicles. The module can also be easily connected to other systems that use little energy. The developers also promise to make the necessary software widely available.

There are more parties working on compact modules for machine vision, such as the OpenMV, which measures 2.54×3.3cm.