OMNIVISION Debuts Highest-Resolution Endoscope Image Sensor

OMNIVISION Technologies Inc. has unveiled a new line of image sensors for endoscopes and catheters.

The company’s OH0FA image sensor provides 720 x 720 resolution at 30 frames per second (fps)―the highest available resolution for ENT, cardiac, arthro, OB-GYN and utero-renal endoscopes, yielding unmatched visibility for surgeons to see and diagnose early-stage disease. The OAH0428 bridge chip, specifically developed for 720 x 720 resolution compatibility, enables analog-to-digital conversion and the flexibility for a variety of analog and digital inputs and outputs, according to OMNIVISION.
 
The OH0FA’s resolution (720 x 720) represents a dramatic increase when compared with the previous generation image sensor, the OVM6946, at 400 x 400. The OH0FA offers an optional range of resolution and frame rate combinations, based on the procedure requirements: 720 x 720 at 30 fps, 600 x 600 at 40 fps or 400 x 400 at 60 fps. The high signal-to-noise ratio of the device results in sharper, crisper images with excellent color fidelity―so surgeons can see the most realistic images to better diagnose and treat disease.
 
The OH0FA is touted as a high-performance 0.93 x 0.93 mm sensor in a 1/18 inch optical format. Its 1.008 µm pixel size is built on OMNIVISION’s PureCel Plus-S pixel technology, which provides high color fidelity and signal-to-noise ratio of 37.5 dB for crisper images. PureCel Plus-S also enables the OH0FA’s high full-well capacity, zero blooming and lower power consumption. A version of the OCHFA, based on OMNIVISION’s CameraCubeChip technology, will be launched soon for single-use endoscopes.

“OMNIVISION has been working with surgeons and medical device OEMs for the past 15 years, and our products have been used by surgeons in well over 15 million procedures, so we understand surgeons’ needs and endoscope requirements,” said Ehsan Ayar, medical product marketing manager at OMNIVISION. “Based on this feedback, we have designed the OH0FA image sensor to offer the highest resolution at the best frame rate possible, with the flexibility to increase the frame rate at a lower resolution to cater to procedures with different requirements. Additionally, we have built in a high level of flexibility with the OAH0428 bridge chip.”
 
Special features of the OAH0428 companion chip include HDR, auto-start, pseudo-global shutter, enhanced NIR sensitivity, and various security functions. It is also autoclavable. The OAH0428 has a proprietary 4-pin analog interface that can transmit up to 4 meters. Exposure time and gain settings can be sent from an external SPI control, automatically by the OAH0428 internal AEC/AGC or manually by the host.