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Time Of Flight General Description

Melexis develops camera sensors with Time Of Flight pixels that allow 3-dimensional imaging with high resolution and accuracy. The sensor technology is developed in standard CMOS, allowing systems to achieve very high integration levels at low cost. Possible applications for this type of sensor include collision avoidance, gesture detection and parking assistance.

An optical Time-Of-Flight (TOF) range sensor is a system that measures the time for light to travel between 2 points in space. As the speed of light is constant it allows measurement of the distance between those 2 points. Several well-known methods exist to perform this type of measurement.

The principle of operation:
• A light source illuminates the scene with modulated NIR (near infrared) light.
• The NIR light source and the sensor typically operate in sync at modulation frequencies of 20 MHz.
• The time delay of the light traveling from the light source to objects in the scene and back to the sensor results in a phase delay of the detected light with respect to the reference signal.
• The sensor detects the reflected NIR light, both in amplitude and in phase.
• The sensor translates this phase delay into an electrical output signal for each pixel.

The heart of our optical Time Of Flight sensor is made by SoftKinetic^TM. The technology called DepthSense^TM is a patented standard CMOS compatible optical detector described as a Current Assisted Photonic Demodulator (CAPD). The principal advantage of DepthSense compared to other range sensor technologies is the combination of high sensitivity and low noise. DepthSense has been licensed to our partner SoftKinetic, further advances and developments are a product of the close collaboration between SoftKinetic and Melexis. Melexis integrates DepthSense into its automotive applications.

Melexis is highly specialized in the design and production of mixed signal ICs and optical sensors for consumer and automotive applications. In order to meet the needs of the automotive market, Melexis has developed specific know-how to achieve high dynamic range and sunlight robust sensors.

Evaluation kit EVK75301

To demonstrate our unique Time-Of-Flight sensor capabilities, Melexis has developed a state of the art 3D ranging camera evaluation kit. The EVK75301 evaluation kit is offered to interested customers for evaluating interior and exterior automotive applications.
The kit contains:
• A camera module containing the 80 x 60 MLX75301 Time-Of-Flight sensor in a metal housing and a C-type lens mount to allow the use of different lens systems and optics.
• Two illumination units including the light sources (NIR LEDs) and their driving circuits.
• Software and Drivers (Windows XP, Windows 7, Linux)
• Cables and power supply
• Documentation

Time Of Flight Features and Benefits

• Very high sensitivity from DepthSense^TM technology, by SoftKinetic^TM
• Excellent dynamic range
• Excellent robustness against sun and ambient light
• Standard CMOS technology, automotive qualified

Softkinetic Headquarters
Boulevard de la Plaine 15
Brussels  1050
Tel: +32 2 888 4260
Fax: +32 2 647 4855
Mail: sales@softkinetic.com
Web: http://www.softkinetic.com

SoftKinetic’s vision is to transform the way people interact with the digital world. We are the leading provider of gesture-based platforms for consumer electronics and professional markets. The company offers a complete family of 3D imaging and gesture recognition solutions, including patented 3D CMOS time-of-flight sensors & cameras (DepthSense™ family of products, formerly Optrima technology), multi-platform and multi-camera 3D gesture recognition middleware and tools (iisu™ family of products), as well as games and applications from SoftKinetic Studios.

With over 8 years of R&D on hardware & software, SoftKinetic's solutions have already hugely been successfully used in the field of interactive digital entertainment, consumer electronics, health care and other professional markets including digital signage and medical systems.

SoftKinetic™, iisu™, DepthSense™ and Interface Is You™ are tradenames or registered trademarks of SoftKinetic. For more information on SoftKinetic please browse www.softkinetic.com and check out our Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/SoftKinetic

Time Of Flight Applications

Time Of Flight Documentation

Time Of Flight Tools

Time Of Flight Environmental Information

Time Of Flight In The Press

Related Melexis News

September 8, 2011
New Collision Avoidance System By Melexis and Based on SoftKinetic Technology to be Demonstrated at The International Motor Show in Frankfurt (IAA)

Time Of Flight Frequently asked Questions

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