First Sensor Begins Series Production for Smart Home Camera

First Sensor has begun series production of a customer-specific camera solution for a leading manufacturer of electrical devices. The digital megapixel camera will be installed in networked devices for smart home applications. According to experts, this market should grow from $31.4 billion in 2018 to $53.45 billion in 2022.

The supply agreement initially runs until 2024, sales worth millions are expected to be achieved as early as 2019. “As experts in photonic and pressure sensor technology, it is our goal to utilize our technological and product know-how for the target markets Industrial, Medical, and Mobility in equal measure. Based on this platform strategy, we can now transfer our camera expertise from automotive applications to the target market Industrial together with our new key customer and develop our camera business there too,” said Dr. Dirk Rothweiler, CEO of First Sensor AG. The compatibility of the cameras with use in very high temperatures, which has been comprehensively proven in the automotive sector in tough environmental conditions, and the possibility of achieving a customer-specific solution were decisive in winning the order.

“After a great deal of development work in the last two years, we are starting series production for various customers in 2019 and 2020. In addition, further sampling is in progress with our ‘Blue Next’-generation cameras,” added CEO Dr. Dirk Rothweiler, who expects to be able to increase camera sales significantly as early as this fiscal year. Equipped with a large selection of digital interfaces, the cameras from the ‘Blue Next’ generation can be flexibly integrated into networked systems and are suitable for a variety of applications. As an important element in partially and fully autonomous driving, they keep an eye on a vehicle’s surroundings in combination with LiDAR systems and radar sensors and contribute to increased safety and convenience.

In order to advance the fusion of the sensor data, First Sensor Mobility GmbH has also developed a scalable embedded electronic control unit (ECU). On it, software applications have already been implemented, such as area view, rear-view mirror replacement and object detection, which customers can enhance with their own applications.

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