Texas Instruments (TI) is launching cameras and sensors equipped with an ultrasonic lens cleaning chipset, enabling the implementation of self-cleaning systems in future automotive and industrial applications, and is expected to generate demand in related markets.

TI announced on the 19th that it has launched the industry's first ultrasonic lens cleaning (ULC) custom semiconductor that can quickly detect and remove contaminants such as dust, ice and water from camera systems with a micro-vibration function.

Manual cleaning is usually required to remove contaminants from camera lenses. Manual cleaning causes system downtime and requires multiple mechanical parts that can malfunction.

TI’s new ULC chipset, the ULC1001 digital signal processor (DSP) and DRV2901 piezoelectric transducer driver, introduces proprietary technology that precisely controls vibrations to quickly and self-clean the camera, improving system accuracy and reducing maintenance requirements.

It also provides a space-efficient and cost-effective solution that can be used for a variety of camera sizes and applications using ULC technology.

“ULC will help make self-cleaning cameras and sensors more common,” said Avi Yashar, product marketing engineer at TI. “Conventional manual cleaning methods are expensive, impractical, require complex machinery and expensive electronics to detect contaminants and perform cleaning, and require significant processing steps. However, ULC expects that this will enable the widespread adoption of self-cleaning cameras and sensors,” he said.

“As cameras are increasingly used in a variety of fields, from automotive and traffic cameras to smart cities and manufacturing, there is a growing demand for simple and cost-effective ways to utilize self-cleaning cameras,” he added.

The ULC1001 controller includes its own algorithms for automatic detection, cleaning, temperature and error detection without image processing, making ULC technology ideal for applying to a wide range of camera lens designs.

Additionally, the chipset’s compact form factor could help improve machine vision and detection performance in a variety of applications where cameras or sensors may become contaminated.

“As advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) become more sophisticated and drivers rely on them for more diverse applications, it will be more critical than ever that sensor suites perform flawlessly at all times,” said Edward Sanchez, senior analyst, global automotive, at TechInsights. “While dirt or debris on a camera lens might seem like a simple contaminant obscuring the view from a vehicle’s rear-view camera, it can become a critical functionality and safety issue for vehicles that rely on accurate and precise imaging and sensor data. “TI’s ULC chipset can solve real, cost-effective problems that will be hot topics in the ADAS and autonomous vehicle markets,” he said.

The ULC1001 DSP is in volume production and available now from TI.com and authorized distributors.

It is available in a 4.5mm x 5mm, 32-pin HotRod™ quad flat no-lead (QFN) package and is priced at $43 in quantities of 1,000.

The DRV2901 piezoelectric transducer driver is available for $5.35 in 1,000-unit quantities, and full reels are available through TI.com and other distribution channels.

The ULC1001-DRV290XEVM evaluation module is available for $249 on TI.com, where multiple payment and shipping options are available, including local currency.