Photonics Tech Shines at CES 2024

The Consumer Electronics Show, the flagship event of the Consumer Technology Association, opened its doors Tuesday. The annual show, which showcases the latest innovations and developments in consumer technology, concludes today. Photonics Media has tracked this year’s product demonstrations, partnerships, and photonics industry news.

Kopin Corporation, a provider of optical systems and micro-displays, has partnered with MICLEDI Microdisplays, a fabless semiconductor design and technology company developing microLED displays, to design, develop and manufacture advanced microLED displays for AR technology in high brightness condition. The program will leverage MICLEDI’s CMOS production flow and Kopin’s backplane control and driving capabilities to create full color microLED displays integrated with an advanced CMOS technology node for high-performance defense, enterprise, consumer, and medical systems.

Eyeris Technologies, OMNIVISION, and Leopard Imaging partnered on a production reference design for in-cabin sensing for automotive safety. The reference design integrates Eyeris’ advanced monocular 3D sensing AI software algorithm into Leopard Imaging’s 5 MP backside illuminated global shutter camera, which uses OMNIVISION’s OX05B image sensor and OAX4600 image signal processor. The reference design also uses OMNIVISION’s OAX4600 ISP to process Eyeris’ monocular 3D sensing AI data.

Ultraleap, a developer of hand tracking and mid-air haptic technologies, teamed with neuromorphic vision technology provider Prophesee to develop a system using hand tracking and event sensors for use in AR devices. The collaboration combines Ultraleap’s computer vision and machine learning models with Prophesee’s GenX320 event-based Metavision sensors to reduce power consumption while enabling an always-on AR device with native hand tracking.

Prophesee's GenX320 event-based Metavision sensor promises to reduce power consumption while enabling always-on functionality in AR devices. Courtesy of Prophesee.

Outsight, a developer of software for lidar technology, partnered with PreAct Technologies, a provider of near-field flash lidar technology for people flow tracking and smart infrastructure applications using advanced spatial AI. Outsight’s technology will take data from PreAct’s low-cost high-resolution lidar systems to provide actionable insights for operators of transportation hubs, retailers, and industrial sites.

Ambient Photonics and Google established a partnership to create a “consumer product” powered by Ambient’s low-light, indoor solar cell technology. Ambient’s bifacial solar cell technology allows light to be harvested from both sides of the cell to boost efficiency and provide more energy.

Lumotive’s Light Control Metasurface (LCM), which received a CES 2024 Innovation Award, saw use in product demonstrations from Sony Semiconductor Solutions, Adaps, and Seoul Robotics. Sony and Adaps each utilized Lumotive’s LCM to provide beam steering to enhance the performance of their respective time of flight (ToF) depth sensors. Seoul Robotics used the LCM to elevate 3D monitoring and tracking tool functionality in its solid-state lidar system.

Micro-LED technology company Mojo Vision showcased the successful integration of RGB sub-pixels into a single panel using its high-performance quantum dots and integration processes. The proof of concept integrates 1.3-µm diameter red and green quantum dot-based sub-pixels adjacent to 1.3-µm diameter native blue sub-pixels, demonstrating the viability of the company’s path to developing single-panel RGB micro-LED displays.

ANELLO Photonics launched its ANELLO X3 optical gyroscope inertial measuring unit. The device is a tri-axial optical gyroscope designed for autonomous commercial defense applications involving robots, drones, uncrewed aerial vehicles, electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, and various maritime and land vehicle applications, including high-accuracy surveying and mapping.

Orbbec demonstrated and launched its Gemini 2 XL camera, which integrates deep learning with stereo vision. The camera can be used as the primary visual system for a variety of robots and numerous AI-based video analytics and interaction systems. It can operate in lighting conditions ranging from complete darkness to outdoors.

Kyocera SLD Laser demonstrated its LaserLight line generator, a technology designed to enhance automotive safety. The device produces high brightness and sharp-edge line light with the capability of generating a variety of light patterns, including straight, ring, square or angled lines. Applications include road projection to illuminate the line lights on a roadway in the forward direction of the vehicle to increase the visibility of moving vehicles to surrounding vehicles, cyclists, or pedestrians.