ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 25 -- Eastman Kodak Co. has signed an agreement to purchase the imaging business of National Semiconductor Corp., which develops and manufactures complimentary metal oxide semiconductor image sensor (CIS) devices. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. As part of this agreement, Kodak will acquire certain assets, including intellectual property and equipment, and plans to hire approximately 50 employees currently supporting National’s imaging business. Most of the employees are based in Santa Clara, Calif. These assets will become part of Kodak’s Image Sensor Solutions organization, which designs and manufactures image sensors for professional and industrial imaging markets. "The growing popularity of digital cameras, camera phones and other imaging-centric consumer electronics products has created a significant opportunity for Kodak to leverage its portfolio of CIS technologies," said Chris McNiffe, general manager of Kodak’s Image Sensor Solutions organization and vice president of its Display & Components division. "This acquisition demonstrates Kodak’s continued commitment to CIS products, and accelerates our longer-term goal of providing CIS devices that offer the image quality of charged coupled device (CCD) sensors while still taking advantage of the power, integration and cost benefits traditionally associated with CMOS technology." As a result of the acquisition, Kodak will open a new office for the Image Sensor Solutions organization in Sunnyvale, Calif., staffed by the former National Semiconductor employees, that will collaborate on CIS design and commercialization with the existing team at Kodak’s headquarters in Rochester. The companies said they expect to close the acquisition, pending regulatory approvals, in the next few weeks. For more information, visit: www.kodak.com