A vision chip is an integrated circuit having both image sensing circuitry and image processing circuitry on the same
die. The image sensing circuitry may be implemented using
charge-coupled devices
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors. Under the control of an external circuit, each capacitor can transfer its electric charge to a neighboring capacitor. CCD sensors are ...
,
active pixel sensor circuits, or any other light sensing mechanism. The image processing circuitry may be implemented using
analog
Analog or analogue may refer to:
Computing and electronics
* Analog signal, in which information is encoded in a continuous variable
** Analog device, an apparatus that operates on analog signals
*** Analog electronics, circuits which use analog ...
,
digital, or
mixed signal (analog and digital) circuitry. One area of research is the use of
neuromorphic engineering
Neuromorphic engineering, also known as neuromorphic computing, is the use of electronic circuits to mimic neuro-biological architectures present in the nervous system. A neuromorphic computer/chip is any device that uses physical artificial ...
techniques to implement processing circuits inspired by biological neural systems. The output of a vision chip is generally a partially processed image or a high-level information signal revealing something about the observed scene. Although there is no standard definition of a vision chip, the processing performed may comprise anything from processing individual
pixel
In digital imaging, a pixel (abbreviated px), pel, or picture element is the smallest addressable element in a raster image, or the smallest point in an all points addressable display device.
In most digital display devices, pixels are the ...
values to performing complex image processing functions and outputting a single value or yes/no signal based on the scene.
Types of processing performed in a vision chip
There is no standard definition of what constitutes a vision chip and thus the type of circuitry that may be performed. Below is a sample list of processing steps reported in vision chip designs, as reported in several books.:
Light sensing techniques
*Active pixel sensors (APS)
*
Charge coupled devices
*Logarithmic compression pixels
*Micro
bolometer
A bolometer is a device for measuring radiant heat by means of a material having a temperature-dependent electrical resistance. It was invented in 1878 by the American astronomer Samuel Pierpont Langley.
Principle of operation
A bolometer ...
s for thermal imaging
Spatial processing techniques
*
Lateral inhibition
In neurobiology, lateral inhibition is the capacity of an excited neuron to reduce the activity of its neighbors. Lateral inhibition disables the spreading of action potentials from excited neurons to neighboring neurons in the lateral direction ...
*Artificial
silicon retina
An event camera, also known as a neuromorphic camera, silicon retina or dynamic vision sensor, is an imaging sensor that responds to local changes in brightness. Event cameras do not capture images using a shutter as conventional (frame) camer ...
circuits
*
Contrast enhancement
A contrast agent (or contrast medium) is a substance used to increase the contrast of structures or fluids within the body in medical imaging. Contrast agents absorb or alter external electromagnetism or ultrasound, which is different from radiop ...
*
Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed ...
or other static feature detection
Temporal processing techniques
*Intensity change detection
*Detection of visual motion /
optical flow
Optical flow or optic flow is the pattern of apparent motion of objects, surfaces, and edges in a visual scene caused by the relative motion between an observer and a scene. Optical flow can also be defined as the distribution of apparent veloci ...
Other techniques
*Cellular nonlinear networks
Commercially available vision chips
The overwhelming majority of vision chip designs were executed largely by academic institutions as part of research projects. However several designs have, at one point or another, been commercialized as a product.
*Optical mouse sensor: The sensor chip used in an
optical mouse
An optical mouse is a computer mouse which uses a light source, typically a light-emitting diode (LED), and a light detector, such as an array of photodiodes, to detect movement relative to a surface. Variations of the optical mouse have largely ...
is a vision chip.
*Mitsubishi silicon retina chip
See also
*
Optical flow sensor
*
Active pixel sensor
*
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device (CCD) is an integrated circuit containing an array of linked, or coupled, capacitors. Under the control of an external circuit, each capacitor can transfer its electric charge to a neighboring capacitor. CCD sensors are a ...
*
Neuromorphic engineering
Neuromorphic engineering, also known as neuromorphic computing, is the use of electronic circuits to mimic neuro-biological architectures present in the nervous system. A neuromorphic computer/chip is any device that uses physical artificial ...
*
Vision processing unit, a class of processor for accelerating
machine vision
Machine vision (MV) is the technology and methods used to provide imaging-based automatic inspection and analysis for such applications as automatic inspection, process control, and robot guidance, usually in industry. Machine vision refers to ...
, possibly including camera interfaces, but not directly including photosensitive elements
References
External links
* http://www.iee.et.tu-dresden.de/iee/analog/papers/mirror/visionchips/
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vision Chip
Optoelectronics