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    Samsung camera sensor captures image and depth information with a single piece of silicon

    Samsung camera sensor captures image and depth information with a single piece of silicon

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    Samsung has introduced a new CMOS sensor that is able to capture both RGB image and depth information simultaneously.

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    Samsung CMOS RGB and Range Camera Sensor
    Samsung CMOS RGB and Range Camera Sensor

    By using an RGB camera in tandem with a depth sensor, Microsoft's Kinect has opened up a world of interactive possibilities, and now Samsung has announced a new camera sensor that melds the two elements into one. The CMOS sensor utilizes rows of depth-sensing z-pixels alternating with a traditional RGB array, allowing the sensor to capture both sets of information simultaneously. The sensor outputs a resolution of 1,920 x 720 on the image side — 1.38-megapixels — while the z-pixels are four times the size of their image-sensing counterparts, providing a depth image with a resolution of 480 x 360. Given that the z-pixels take up physical space on the sensor itself, image-processing software interpolates the values for the missing data in the image. With depth-sensing cameras and gesture-based interaction becoming an increasingly important focus in new devices, the sensor is a promising step in the right direction with the potential to bring new features not only to gaming consoles, but cameras and mobile devices as well.