OmniVision image sensor launched for endoscopes and catheters

OmniVision Technologies, a developer of advanced digital imaging solutions, has launched the OVMed OH0FA image sensor and OAH0428 bridge chip for endoscopes and catheters. 

The OH0FA image sensor provides 720x720 resolution at 30 frames per second (fps)―the highest available resolution for ENT, cardiac, arthro, OB-GYN and utero-renal endoscopes, yielding visibility for surgeons to see and diagnose early-stage disease. The OAH0428 bridge chip, specifically developed for 720x720 resolution compatibility, enables analogue-to-digital conversion and the flexibility for a variety of analogue and digital inputs and outputs.

Ehsan Ayar, medical product marketing manager at OmniVision, said: “OmniVision has been working with surgeons and medical device OEMs for the past 15 years, and our products have been used by surgeons in well over 15 million procedures, so we understand surgeons’ needs and endoscope requirements. Based on this feedback, we have designed the OH0FA image sensor to offer the highest resolution at the best frame rate possible, with the flexibility to increase the frame rate at a lower resolution to cater to procedures with different requirements. Additionally, we have built in a high level of flexibility with the OAH0428 bridge chip.”

The OH0FA’s resolution of 720x720 represents a dramatic increase when compared with the previous generation image sensor, the OVM6946, at 400x400. The OH0FA offers an optional range of resolution and frame rate combinations, based on the procedure requirements: 720x720 at 30 fps, 600x600 at 40 fps or 400x400 at 60 fps. The high signal-to-noise ratio of the device results in sharper, crisper images with excellent colour fidelity―so surgeons can see the most realistic images to better diagnose and treat disease.

The OH0FA is a 0.93x0.93 mm sensor in a 1/18 inch optical format. Its 1.008 µm pixel size is built on OmniVision’s PureCel Plus-S pixel technology. This next-generation pixel technology also provides the high colour fidelity and signal-to-noise ratio of 37.5 dB for crisper images. PureCel Plus-S enables the OH0FA’s high full-well capacity, zero blooming and lower power consumption. A version of the OCHFA, based on OmniVision’s CameraCubeChip technology, will be launched soon for single use endoscopes.

Special features of the OAH0428 companion chip include HDR, auto-start, pseudo-global shutter, enhanced NIR sensitivity, and various security functions. It is also autoclavable. The OAH0428 has a proprietary four-pin analogue interface that can transmit up to four metres. Exposure time and gain settings can be sent from an external SPI control, automatically by the OAH0428 internal AEC/AGC or manually by the host.

OmniVision’s OVMed product line consists of medical-grade components that undergo certification, qualification, and testing. This increases the likelihood and speed of FDA certification for medical device OEMs, while providing hospitals, surgeons, and patients with a high level of confidence in the endoscope device.

The OH0FA image sensor and OAH0428 bridge chip are available for sampling now in OmniVision’s hCSP chip scale package with 100 micron thick cover glass and an anti-reflective coating. OmniVision offers an evaluation kit with a pretested OVMed image signal processor to enable rapid evaluation and development.