Infineon, OMS, PMD Technologies Join Hands… Developing High-Resolution Camera Solutions
Add precise long-range spot lights… Create accurate 3D maps of surrounding areas

Infineon Technologies AG (Infineon) has unveiled a new hybrid ToF (hToF) solution that combines two depth sensing concepts to significantly reduce the maintenance effort and costs of smart robots.

Infineon, together with device manufacturer OMS and Time-of-Flight (ToF) technology specialist pmdtechnologies, announced today that they have developed a new high-resolution camera solution that supports enhanced depth sensing and 3D scene understanding for next-generation smart consumer robots.

Infineon’s REAL3™ ToF imager technology enables combining a conventional high-resolution iToF area source with a dToF long-range spot source in a single hybrid ToF camera.

For years, high-resolution technology has been used to identify and navigate very small objects in a robot's path.

Additionally, the addition of a precise long-range spot light source can enhance the performance of next-generation robot vacuums by generating an accurate 3D map of the surrounding area for an intelligent path-planning experience even in bright sunlight or low light.

This new solution is for robot vacuum cleaners. It completely replaces the LDS (Laser Distance Scanner) mounted on the top of existing robot vacuum cleaners by reducing the height by 20-30%, enabling cleaning even under low furniture.

Measuring just 31x16x8mm, the hybrid ToF camera requires significantly less space for enhanced mapping and obstacle avoidance capabilities.

Hybrid ToF, which eliminates the need for multiple sensors, reduces system and operating costs because there are no moving parts that wear out over time.

Additionally, the solution provides customers with a simple and user-friendly implementation approach.

The compact hybrid ToF solution is versatile and robust, meeting the needs of evolving mobile consumer robots across a range of industries, including robotic vacuum cleaners, commercial robots, air purifiers, and dimensioning.