Fastest 3D Laser Triangulation Sensor via On-Sensorchip Processing

The Challenge: Increasing Data Speeds in 3D Sensors

Laser triangulation is an ideal method for high-speed applications, especially in inline metrology, where fast processing is required to keep up with production throughput. To meet the growing demand for speed, there is a continuous need to increase the data rates of 3D sensors.

The profile speed of a 3D sensor depends on the frame rate of the image sensor. However, traditional image detectors face inherent speed limitations.

Limitations of Traditional Image Sensors

The only way to increase the readout/frame rate of standard image sensors is by increasing the clock speed and/or adding more output channels. While these modifications can achieve marginal improvements, they come with significant downsides:

High power consumption
Increased bandwidth requirements
Bulky designs

Even with these changes, processing rates are limited to approximately 2–3 Gpixels/s.

The Solution: On-Sensorchip Processing

To overcome these limitations and achieve greater performance, intelligence needs to be integrated directly into the sensor chip. This approach can increase processing rates to an impressive 20–30 Gpixels/s.

On-sensorchip processing achieves this by dramatically reducing the number of pixels transferred from the detector to the FPGA. Instead of processing the entire image, only the pixels around the laser line are transferred, while background pixels are ignored.

This capability is not possible with standard 2D CMOS sensors. It requires a custom-designed detector with specialized functionality tailored for this purpose.

Key Benefits of On-Sensorchip Processing

This approach offers several key advantages over conventional 3D sensors:

At least 10x higher profile rate compared to traditional 3D sensors
Lower platform costs, due to more efficient processing
Reduced power consumption, making it more energy-efficient

Applications Requiring On-Sensorchip Processing

On-sensorchip processing is critical for applications that demand extremely high data rates, including:

Electronics inspection: High-speed precision measurements are necessary for inspecting small and intricate components.
Transportation applications: For example, in road pavement scanning, this technology enables sensors mounted on trucks or vans to operate at highway speeds, collecting data efficiently.
Measurement of long products: Applications like wire or tube manufacturing benefit from the ability to gather high-speed data for lengthy objects.