Emberion VS20 Core with GigE interface offers a full camera functionality with implementations for sensor readout and control, analog-to-digital signal conversion, calibration, image pre-processing, thermal control, power management and standard digital camera interface. A stable performance over a wide environmental temperature range is ensured with a thermoelectric cooling (TEC) element built in the image sensor package. The camera core circuit boards can be built into a stand-alone housed camera or integrated into a hosting imaging system. The module boards can be positioned in various ways due to the flexible connectors between the boards. Potential applications of the image sensor and camera lie in multiple domains, e.g. monochromatic machine vision and multispectral and hyperspectral imaging.
Emberion VS20 Core will be available as a product variant and will support up to 400 fps.
In future camera core with custom interfaces would be available. Please contact for further discussions.
Product variants

Emberion VS20 Core GigE interface offers a unique broad-spectrum and wide dynamic range imaging performance. The camera core is unhoused and it comprises the sensor, front-end, processing and IO module boards. The VGA-resolution image sensor is based on a proprietary image sensor technology and comprises a light-absorbing Colloidal Quantum Dots (CQD) layer built monolithically on a tailor-made CMOS readout integrated circuit. The CQDs provide an extremely wide spectral response range spanning from visible (VIS) to near infrared (NIR) and up to short-wave infrared (SWIR) wavelengths. The dynamic operation range of the image sensor is very large, owing both to the low noise and non-saturating characteristics of the photodetector.
Wide, tunable spectral range covered with a single sensor array , from visible 400 nm (VIS) light to short-wave infrared 2000 nm (SWIR).
Large inherent dynamic operation range, enabling High-Dynamic-Range (HDR) imaging.
Cost-efficient sensor manufacturing process, providing affordable camera solutions for a wide range of imaging applications.
In house designed CMOS ROIC supporting low noise.
Easy integration for various systems enabling key application areas.
Applications
Semiconductor Imaging

A: Visible Image of a semiconductor wafer
B: Swir Image of semiconductor wafer : SWIR allows see through wafer cabability for inspection and alignment
Defence & Surveillance: Adverse Weather

A: Emberion VS20 Image (no filter): broadband image
B: SWIR image with backlight demonstrating see through smoke for adverse condition: surveillance application.
(Note: Long pass filter >1000nm used for SWIR imaging only)
- SWIR can offer better contrast than VIS: camouflaged targets
- Target recognition based on spectral finger prints
- Covert active imaging with SWIR light >1500 nm
- Temporal and spatial alignment of VIS and SWIR image information: head-worn vision systems (system complexity, user experience)
- Better light transmission, enhanced vision in limited visibility conditions: smoke, dust, fog, haze & low-light
Quality inspection
Food and Pharmaceutical Industry Packaging

A: Visible Image (Visual features dominate)
B: SWIR image seeing through the opaque package.
IR image shows the vials very clearly underneath the opaque package. Some of the printed package labels are not visible in IR light. However, the printings on the left-most vial are visible. The fill-up level of the transparent liquid in the vial is very visible due to the water’s high light absorption factor at 1550 nm


See through Food Packaging

A: Visible Image of plastic food pakcaging.
B: SWIR image of plastic packaging allowing see through inspection.
See through plastic packaging

A: Visible Image
B: SWIR Image showing the ingridnets inside the packaging

A: Visible Image
B: SWIR Image
Food Detection

A: Visible Image of Potato Starch (left), Baking Soda, Sugar, Table Salt, Coconut Oil & Water
B: SWIR Image showing different contrast level of ingredients depending on their moleucular struture & moisture content. The higher the moisture content the darker the object
Food Inspection

A: Visible image showing rice grains and plastic contaminants
B: SWIR Image: Rice grains apprearing very dark compared to visible picture taken by mobile camera.
SWIR image showing white plastic contaminants clearly visible when using the SWIR camera. The rice apprears very dark while in contrast the plastic contaminants are white in colour.
Counterfeit & Security



Product features
High Dynamic Range

High Dynamic Range – High dynamic range sensor incorporated in VS20 camera. Emberion’s HDR with 80dB performance is ideal for large variations in brightness level with a single exposure.
- Can handle large variations in irradiance level: operation in day and night conditions, better contrast
- Bright spots do not obscure neighbouring dark objects: headlights in low-light conditions
Better contrast in SWIR than in VIS light: camouflage materials designed for VIS and human eyes.
Beyond 1700nm Extended Range
Emberion’s camera extends beyond 1700nm compared to incumbent technologies, up to 2000nm. Applications such as PVC detection in waste recycling can be hugely beneficial using 1700nm peak for plastic sorting or detection of the strong water peak at 1920nm. This can be clearly demonstrated using the camera.
The images show that using 1920nm narrowband pass filter and halogen lamps the VS20 can be used to detect moisture absorption. It shows water is very strongly absorbed in that region and can be used for identifying water ingress , food quality, moisture in wood and paper (pulp).
Water absorption detection at various wavelengths using Emberion VS20



Product variant specifications
Image sensor specifications | Emberion VS20 Core |
---|---|
Image sensor type | Emberion colloidal quantum dot (CQD) photodiode |
Spectral range | 400 to 2000 nm |
Pixel pitch | 20.0 μm x 20.0 μm |
Resolution in pixels | 640 x 512 |
Image size | 12.80 mm x 10.24 mm |
Image diameter | 16.39 mm |
Fill factor | 90 % |
Operable pixels | > 99.9% |
Shutter | Global, built-in electronic |
Cooling | Built-in thermoelectric cooler (TEC) |
Camera specifications | Emberion VS20 Core |
Ambient operating temperature | -20 to +40 °C |
A/D conversion | 14 bits |
Image processing | Non-uniformity correction, linearisation, defect pixel correction |
Exposure time | Min 0.1 ms, adjustable with 1 μs resolution |
Supply voltage | 12 ± 1 V, DC, Hirose LF10 connector |
Power consumption | 10 W (typical) |
Interfaces and mechanics | Emberion VS20 Core |
Lens mount | C-mount, optional |
Dimensions (L x W x H) without the lens mount | 82.8 mm x 40.0 mm x 40.0 mm |
Weight | 102 g for sensor and PCBA only, 251 g including lens mount / heat sink |
Trigger | Trigger I/O (pins included in power connector) or triggering over Ethernet |
Interface options | Emberion VS20 Core |
Image data | GigE Vision, up to 2.5 Gbit, RJ45 connector |
Communications | GenICam compatible |
Max frame rate (full VGA) | 400 fps |
Trigger | Trigger I/O (pins included in power connector) or triggering over Ethernet |
Powering | 12 VDC |