STMicroelectronics has partnered with eYs3D Microelectronics, to develop a range of stereo video and depth cameras designed for industrial robots and other mobile automated systems. The semiconductor companies will be demoing their technologies at CES 2023 this week in Las Vegas.
“Using live demonstrations, the companies will show how stereo video and depth camera made from advanced active-coded infrared technology can enhance capabilities like feature recognition and autonomous guidance at mid-to-long working range,” the company said in a press release.
Geneva, Switzerland-based STMicroelectronics said it develops semiconductor technologies designed for Internet of Things devices. It has more than 200,00 customers around the world and employs about 48,000 people. eYs3D Microelectronics, which is based in Taipei, Taiwan, noted it focuses on developing technologies related to 3D vision.
CES demos highlight cameras’ capabilities
The demos will feature the Ref-B6 and Ref-B3 ASV (Active Stereo Vision) video and depth cameras. The companies developed the cameras in tandem, combining “the eYs3D CV processor and eSP876 stereo 3D Depth-Map chipset with ST’s global shutter image sensors that provide enhanced near-infrared (NIR) sensitivity.”
“The embedded eYs3D chipset enhances object edge detection, optimizes depth de-noising, and outputs HD-quality 3D depth data up to 60 fps frame rate,” they said. “ST’s image sensors enable the cameras to output data streams in various combinations of video/depth resolution and frame rate for the best quality depth sensing and point-cloud creation.”
“In addition, optimized lenses, filters and a VCSEL active-IR projector source optimize the infrared optical path and maximize immunity to ambient light noise,” the companies added.
They noted that “a specially developed control algorithm” was created to allow for the IR project to “turn on and off alternately to permit capturing artifact-free gray scale images.” The Ref-B6 stereo-video camera has a 6-centimeter baseline and 85deg(H) x 70deg(V) depth field of view, they said.
“STMicroelectronics’ advanced image sensors, using proprietary process technologies, offer class-leading pixel size while offering both high sensitivity and low crosstalk,” said James Wang, chief strategy & sales officer at eYs3D Microelectronics in a statement. “Such high-performance image sensors at a competitive price point enable us to achieve extremely compact system size while ensuring outstanding machine-vision performance. The strong connection we have established with ST increases our confidence to develop new products that will lead the machine vision market.”
“The collaboration with eYs3D Microelectronics, through their expertise in capture, perception understandng, and 3D-fusion, offers ST additional business opportunities, use cases, and ecosystems addressing demands for stereo vision in applications such as robots, home-automation, home appliances, and many others,” said David Maucotel, business line manager at ST’s Imaging Sub-Group. “While the reference designs showcased at CES are using monochromatic sensors, we can already foresee exciting enhancements and further use-cases using the RGB and RGB-IR versions of our sensors.”
Where will the booths be?
Both reference designs include the SDK (Software Development Kit) supporting Windows, Linux, and Android OS environments with multiple different programming languages and wrapper APIs.
eYs3D will showcase the joint development Ref-B6 Depth Camera at two booth locations:
LVCC, Booth #15769, Central Hall and Venetian, Eureka Park, Booth #62500, AT1, Hall G.
Check out Robotics 24/7's special coverage page on CES 2023.
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