Rambus is working on two technologies that could potentially transform the imaging market. The one closer to market is the Binary Pixel.
It is an image sensor that the company boldly claims produces dramatically better videos and photos thanks to four critical improvements.
A DSLR in your pocket
It offers DSLR-quality dynamic range in mobile and consumer cameras, single shot HDR photos and videos with no post processing involved, better low-light sensitivity and enhanced stop-motion performance.
The solution, which uses current CMOS technology and is compatible with system-on-chips, was introduced at MWC 2013 and oversamples pixels in order to collect more raw data for each.
The "eye" of IoT
The second technology Rambus is working on has the potential to be the de-facto sensor for everything IoT (internet of things).
Lensless smart sensors, a term coined by Rambus, shifts "the optics to the processor" by removing the need for a lens and opting for a diffractive technique.
That translates into a much lower physical size, an extended depth of field, a more sturdy solution and a lower price point.
When it comes to practical implementations, the possibilities are near-endless, ranging from security to natural user interfaces, health, fitness etc.
Rambus' Carolyn Robinson told TechRadar Pro that the lensless sensor is still at the prototypical stage with no product likely to come to the market for a few years.
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