Image sensor tiny BSI global shutter pixel

This sensor is ideal for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications that need a global shutter to avoid motion blur, along with top NIR performance for low- and no-light conditions.

The OG01A is well-suited to multiple machine-vision applications, including AR/VR headsets, drones, robots, and simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM), as well as facial authentication in smartphones and other consumer electronics. This technology is also ideal for automotive in-cabin driver state monitoring and eye tracking.

“The OG01A has the industry’s smallest global shutter pixel and provides the best NIR performance in a GS sensor,” said Devang Patel, Senior Staff Marketing Manager for the Security and Emerging Segments at OmniVision. “There is a growing need for global shutter technology to accurately capture images of moving objects, along with excellent NIR performance and small size, in camera applications such as AR/VR headsets, drones, robots and smartphones. The OG01A delivers the industry’s best combination of features for these applications.”

The one megapixel OG01A image sensor provides 1280x1024 resolution at 120 frames per second (fps) and 640x480 resolution at 240fps in a compact 1/5 inch optical format. High shutter efficiency allows for cleaner motion capture and a high dynamic range. The sensor’s low-light sensitivity is also excellent, with significantly lower gain than the typical 3.0μm pixel size for an improved signal-to-noise ratio.

The sensor’s high modulation transfer function (MTF) enables sharper images with greater contrast and more detail, which is especially important for enhancing decision-making processes in machine vision applications. The OG01A also has a high QE of 40% at 940nm and 60% at 850nm.

This industry-leading QE enables the sensor to see farther and better in low- and no-light conditions, which allows designers to use less IR LED light and achieve lower system-level power consumption. For AR/VR headsets, this reduces heat generation. For industrial and robotics applications, designers can use fewer IR LEDs for lower system cost, or use the same number of IR LEDs to achieve a greater image detection range.