Designers can create reliable, small and affordable cleaning systems for automotive and industrial applications using TI’s ULC technology.
Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN) today introduced the first purpose-built semiconductors with ultrasonic lens cleaning (ULC) technology, enabling camera systems to quickly detect and remove dirt, ice and water using microscopic vibrations.
Removing contaminants from camera lenses traditionally requires manual cleaning, causing system downtime, or the use of various mechanical parts that could malfunction. TI’s new ULC chipset, including the ULC1001 digital signal processor (DSP) and companion DRV2901 piezo transducer driver, features a proprietary technology that allows cameras to rapidly self-clear contaminants using precisely controlled vibrations to rapidly eliminate debris, which improves system accuracy and reduces maintenance requirements. The chipset offers designers a compact and affordable way to use ULC in a wide range of applications and camera sizes.
Ultrasonic Lens
An ultrasonic lens is a lens that uses ultrasonic waves to focus or defocus the sound beams. They are commonly used in ultrasonic imaging, such as in medical ultrasound machines, and in industrial applications for non-destructive testing and material characterization. Ultrasonic lenses can be made from a variety of materials, including plastics and ceramics, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to suit different applications.
ULC Technology
ULC (Ultrasonic Lens Correction) technology is a process used to correct the spherical aberrations of an ultrasonic lens. Spherical aberrations occur when the lens is not able to focus all the incoming light at the same point, resulting in a blurred image. ULC technology uses a special algorithm to analyze the lens and adjust the curvature of its surface to correct these aberrations, resulting in a sharper and clearer image. This technology is often used in medical imaging and industrial non-destructive testing applications.
There are several companies that are working on self-cleaning cameras and sensors. Some examples include:
- Canon Inc, a Japanese multinational corporation specializing in the manufacture of imaging and optical products, including cameras, camcorders, photocopiers, steppers, computer printers, and medical equipment. They have developed a self-cleaning sensor technology for their digital SLR cameras, which vibrates the sensor to shake off dust and other particles.
- Sony Corporation, a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation that is engaged in the development, design, production, manufacturing, and sales of electronic equipment, instruments, and devices for consumer, professional, and industrial markets. They have developed a self-cleaning sensor technology for their digital cameras and camcorders, which uses ultrasonic vibrations to remove dust and other particles.
- Olympus Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of optics and reprography products. They have developed a self-cleaning sensor technology for their digital cameras that uses ultrasonic vibrations to remove dust and other particles.
- Panasonic Corporation, a Japanese multinational electronics corporation. They have developed a self-cleaning sensor technology for their digital cameras that uses ultrasonic vibrations to remove dust and other particles.
- Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. a South Korean multinational electronics company. They have developed a self-cleaning sensor technology for their digital cameras that uses ultrasonic vibrations to remove dust and other particles.
This list is not exhaustive, and there are many other companies working on self-cleaning cameras and sensors technology.
Contents and photo taken by:- ti.com
