An Asynchronous Hybrid Pixel Image Sensor

• doi: 10.1109/ASYNC48570.2021.00016
• title: An asynchronous hybrid pixel image sensor
• publisher: IEEE
• isbn: 978-1-7281-4133-6
• issn: 2643-1394
• rank: 1551
• access_type: LOCKED
• content_type: Conferences
• abstract: Today, most of the computer vision applications produce a huge computational load, which can become an issue for autonomous systems such as robots. This is mainly due to the image sensor readout, which permanently captures the image at a fixed rate and produces a relatively high throughput bitstream. Therefore, finding techniques minimizing the data throughput helps to drastically reduce power. Event-based image sensors are able to capture images with a low throughput bistream, thanks to a sample strategy eliminating temporal and spatial redundancies. This natively gives a data-compressed image, which favors lower storage and computation. This article presents an event-based image sensor incorporating a hybrid pixel matrix composed of two pixel types and an arbiterless asynchronous readout system. The results show an important bitstream reduction compared to that of a standard CMOS image sensor. A testchip of our event-based image sensor has been designed and is currently under fabrication.
• article_number: 9565444
• pdf_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=9565444
• html_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9565444/
• abstract_url: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9565444/
• publication_title: 2021 27th IEEE International Symposium on Asynchronous Circuits and Systems (ASYNC)
• conference_location: Beijing, China
• conference_dates: 7-10 Sept. 2021
• publication_number: 9565432
• is_number: 9565433
• publication_year: 2021
• publication_date: 7-10 Sept. 2021
• start_page: 55
• end_page: 61
• citing_paper_count: 3
• citing_patent_count: 0
• download_count: 417
• insert_date: 20211018
• index_terms:
  • ieee_terms:
    • Image sensors
    • Fabrication
    • Wireless communication
    • Autonomous systems
    • Silicon-on-insulator
    • Throughput
    • Robot sensing systems
  • author_terms:
    • Time to first spike pixel
    • event-based
    • asynchronous circuits
    • low power
  • dynamic_index_terms:
    • Image Sensor
    • Standard Imaging
    • Bitstream
    • Pixel Matrix
    • Readout System
    • Standard Sensor
    • Spatial Redundancy
    • Grayscale
    • Power Consumption
    • Event Rate
    • Integration Time
    • Photodiode
    • Frame Rate
    • Analog-to-digital Converter
    • Processing Elements
    • State Machine
    • Image Capture
    • Power Estimation
    • Verification Process
    • Local Memory
    • Time-to-digital Converter
    • Pixel Block
    • Scene Changes
• isbn_formats:
  • format: Print on Demand(PoD) ISBN, value: 978-1-7281-4133-6, isbnType: New-2005
  • format: Electronic ISBN, value: 978-1-7281-4132-9, isbnType: New-2005
• authors:
  • Author Name: Mohamed Akrarai
    Affiliation: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP (Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes), TIMA, Grenoble, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37088454673
    ID: 37088454673
    Order: 1
    Author Affiliations:
    • Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP (Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes), TIMA, Grenoble, France
  • Author Name: Nils Margotat
    Affiliation: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP (Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes), TIMA, Grenoble, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37086484389
    ID: 37086484389
    Order: 2
    Author Affiliations:
    • Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP (Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes), TIMA, Grenoble, France
  • Author Name: Gilles Sicard
    Affiliation: CEA-LETI, Grenoble, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37295710300
    ID: 37295710300
    Order: 3
    Author Affiliations:
    • CEA-LETI, Grenoble, France
  • Author Name: Laurent Fesquet
    Affiliation: Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP (Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes), TIMA, Grenoble, France
    Author URL: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37295549700
    ID: 37295549700
    Order: 4
    Author Affiliations:
    • Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP (Institute of Engineering Univ. Grenoble Alpes), TIMA, Grenoble, France

Image Sensor

• sensor_type: CMOS
• resolution: 64x64 pixels (matrices of 64x64)
• dynamic_range: higher than standard CMOS sensors (exact dB not specified)
• pixel_size: 8x9 μm² for TFS pixel, 10x10 μm² for DVS pixel
• dark_current: Not specified

Optical Data

• focal_length: Not specified
• aperture: Not specified
• field_of_view: Not specified
• distortion: Not specified

Performance Metrics

• frame_rate: Asynchronous, dynamically adjusts to scene activity
• shutter_speed: Global reset mode or local reset mode based on pixel operation
• power_consumption: Varies based on activity; for Road: Kernel b - 53.5 mW, Kernel f - 48.3 mW; for Parking: Kernel b - 22.7 mW, Kernel f - 32.2 mW

Applications & Benefits

• cell_imaging: Applicable for low-power autonomous imaging applications such as robotics and medical devices.
• benefits: Lower data throughput compared to standard CMOS sensors, reducing power consumption and enhancing efficiency in dynamic environments.

Supporting Organizations

• supported_by: University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, CEA-LETI

Manuscript Details

• publication_date: 7-10 Sept. 2021

Relevancy Score

• score: 10
• missing_fields:
  • focal_length
  • aperture
  • field_of_view
  • distortion
  • signal_to_noise_ratio
  • sensitivity
  • dark_current
  • noise

Processed JSON Filename

request_b52cc5b7-2029-40c0-aee9-6f0906034e42-an_asynchronous_hybrid_pixel_image_sensor.json