Partnership delivers first active stereo camera 3D-sensing solution

By Warren Miller, contributing writer

A collaboration between some of Asia’s biggest technology companies may have produced a revolutionary advancement in facial-recognition capabilities for smartphones that run the Android operating system.

Himax, a global fabless manufacturer of display drivers and semiconductor components, in partnership with smartphone platform developer MediaTek and facial-recognition software developer Megvii, recently unveiled what they claim is the first active stereo camera (ASC) 3D-sensing solution for Android smartphones specifically optimized for facial recognition, secure online bill payment, and AI-based photo enhancement.

Himax’s projector, sensor, and laser driver are meshed with MediaTek’s stereo matching depth engine and Megvii’s Face++ computer-vision algorithm to create the ASC 3D-sensing reference design. Himax’s projector features cutting-edge wafer-level optics technology and high-precision active alignment for the assembly itself, which also features two infrared CMOS image sensors.

The projector uses diffractive optics and a laser collimator to utilize 7,000 to 10,000 invisible dots as reference points to build a 3D map of a targeted surface, whether it’s a human face or a personal check. The onboard high-quantum-efficiency sensor performs as well out in the elements as it does indoors, and the laser is certified IEC 60825 Class 1, which means that it’s considered safe to use with unprotected eyes in all conditions. The projector also features a patented broken glass detection system that shuts down the laser in the event that the protective glass over the projector cracks or shatters.

Himax said that key features of the ASC 3D-sensing solution include:

• Customized infrared projector with patterned DOE and collimator: between 7,000 and 10,000 invisible dots to build sophisticated 3D depth map
• High-quantum-efficiency sensor at 940-nm band: superior sensing capability in both indoor/outdoor environments
• Broken glass detection: patented broken glass detection mechanism enabled by tailor-made laser driver in the projector whereby laser is shut down instantaneously in the event of broken glass in the projector
• Eye safety: certified for IEC 60825 Class 1, the international standard governing laser product safety under all conditions of normal use with naked eyes
• Compact form factor and power-efficient: ideal for embedded and mobile device integration

“We are pleased to partner with MediaTek and Megvii,” said Jordan Wu, president and CEO of Himax Technologies, in a statement. “This strong alliance ensures that 3D sensing is affordable for the Android mass market and can be easily adopted by smartphone makers to create an exciting user experience. I believe that ASC will facilitate a broader adoption of 3D sensing in Android smartphones during 2019.”

Information about Himax’s variety of optical and display technologies is available here .