OmniVision Technologies, Inc. announced the OVM6946, the company's first wafer-level camera module for medical applications. The company positions the new 1/18-inch camera module, with a compact size of 1.05 mm x 1.05 mm and a z-height of 2.27 mm, as well suited for minimally invasive endoscopes. OmniVision claims its OVM6946 is the industry’s most cost-effective single-chip imaging solution for single-use endoscopes.
OmniVision Technologies positions its OVM6946 miniature 1/18-inch camera module as an ideal solution for next-generation single-use endoscopes. Image source: OmniVision Technologies, Inc. Aaron Chiang, the firm's director of marketing, cited “cross-contamination risks, downtime inefficiencies, and high costs associated with repairs, pre-procedure testing, and sterilization of reusable endoscopes” as challenges fueling market interests in endoscopes of the disposable variety. “As a cost-effective and compact camera module with excellent image quality, we view the OVM6946 as an ideal solution for next-generation single-use endoscopes.”
The OVM6946 captures 400 pixel x 400 pixel-resolution video at 30 frames per second. The camera module offers a wide 120° field of view with an extended focusing range of 3 mm to infinity. The reduced pinout and analog output for transmission over long distances with minimal signal-to-noise reduction enables seamless integration into single-use endoscopes. The OVM6946 can be customized for a wide range of endoscope applications, including medical, veterinarian and industrial.
The OVM6946 is currently available for sampling, and is expected to enter volume production in the first quarter of 2017.
