Neuromorphic Image Sensors Helping People & Machines See Better

By: | January 9th, 2016

Neuromorphic engineering is the use of very large scale integration (VLSI) systems that simulate neurobiological structures in the human nervous system, including the brain. IndustryTap has reported on the human brain project and how the world’s most advanced microscopes are mapping the human brain.

Neuromorphic chips process information differently than traditional computer hardware in that they mimic the human brain’s architecture, resulting in better machine vision. Systems built using neuromorphic chips also use massively parallel architecture.

Practical Applications

One example is the neuromorphic vision sensor, a new type of sensor that improves on current camera technology by increasing speed, dynamic range, and mimicking the best characteristics of the human eye while lowering computational costs at the same time. Neuromorphic image sensors are not only used in cameras but in electronic retinal implants as well.

A new French company, Pixium Vision, winner of the French Institute of Design’s 2015 Janus Healthcare Award, is providing hope for millions of blind and visually impaired people with its new vision restoration systems that incorporate neuromorphic technology.

And that’s not all. Neuromorphic technology is now being used in sensor arrays to help detect whether a building’s air conditioning, lights, and heating should be on or off, thereby improving efficiency.

The following video is an overview of Pixium and its cutting edge technologies:

PIXIUM VISION – EN from pixium on Vimeo.

Following is a video of a neuromorphic computing system demo:

David Russell Schilling

David enjoys writing about high technology and its potential to make life better for all who inhabit planet earth.

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