EETimes: Imaging Revolution - Forget Frames

EETimes: "Two French scientists, Ryad Benosman and Christoph Posch... founded Chronocam in 2014. They�ve developed an image sensor designed to capture images not based on artificially created frames, but driven by events within view.

�Each pixel individually controls its sampling � with no clock involved � by reacting to light, or changes in the amount of incident light it receives,� explained Posch, Chronocam�s CTO.

�Frame-based video acquisition is fundamentally flawed,� Chronocam CTO Posch decreed.

Chronocam has applied and tested its sensor�s principles in restoring people�s vision at Pixium Vision, a retina prosthetic company founded by Chronocam�s co-founders.

Chronocam has raised 1.5 million euro so far. Among investors are CEA Investment and Robert Bosch VC.

Chronocam�s CCMA ATIS 1.1 sensor, whose supply voltage is 3.3V (analog), 1.8V(digital), comes in a 9.9 x 8.2mm2 chip size, featuring 2/3-inch optical format. Its array size is 304 x 240 QVGA, with a pixel size of 30�m � 30�m. The power consumption is less than 10mW.

Asked about the company�s next steps, Verre, the CEO, said, �We aim at decreasing pixel pitch and increasing resolution. Our next steps are the VGA tape out and the migration to a CIS process.�

Chronocam is open to licensing its technology to others."

How Chrononcam's image sensor sees motions of hand (left)