iSuppli applauds Nobel Prize award for image sensor

EL SEGUNDO, USA: In 1969, Bell Laboratories scientists Willard S. Boyle and George E. Smith invented the first successful digital imaging sensor technology, the Charge-Coupled Device (CCD).

Forty years later, with image sensors having grown into a 1.3 billion-unit market, these two technology pioneers have been awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physics in recognition of their contribution to digital imaging.

“The impact of image sensors on the technology world—and society in general—has been monumental,” said Pamela Tufegdzic, analyst with iSuppli. “From enabling the social-media and video-sharing revolutions, to stirring the world with images of civil and political upheaval, image sensors in products ranging from digital still cameras to cell phones have become a fixture of modern culture. Because of this, iSuppli applauds the award of the 2009 Nobel Prize for Physics to Dr. Boyle and Dr. Smith.”

Image sensors everywhere
The invention of the CCD—and later the CMOS sensor—has resulted in massive adoption of digital imaging technology.

In 2009, 1.3 billion image sensors will be shipped worldwide, iSuppli predicts. In 2012, the market will cross the 2 billion-unit threshold.

The figure presents iSuppli’s forecast of global shipments of image sensors, both CCD and CMOS varieties.Source: iSuppli, Oct. 2009

While the image sensor obtained its start as a high-volume consumer-oriented device in the digital still camera and camcorder markets, the biggest user of these products now is the cell phone. In 2010, more than 1 billion image sensors will be shipped to the cell-phone market, iSuppli predicts.

Meanwhile, new markets for image sensors are rapidly emerging. For example, shipments of image sensors to the automotive market are expected to more than triple in the coming years, rising to 14.6 million units in 2013. up from 4.2 million in 2009.

“Although relatively small, the automotive market is one of the fastest-growing segments within the image sensor market,” said Dr. Jagdish Rebello, director and principal analyst for iSuppli.

“There are myriad applications for image sensors in cars, including lane-departure warning, blind-spot detection, infrared night vision, driver monitoring, parking and back-up assist, pedestrian detection, 360-degree view and accident measurement. All this has been made possible by the plunging prices for image sensors as they have become high-volume, mass-market devices.”

Other applications for image sensors include videoconferencing systems, webcams, enterprise applications and security cameras.

New dimensions of growth
While image sensors already have made some impressive achievements, new developments are set to expand the capabilities of the technology. Next-generation image sensors not only can measure light through the lenses, they also are capable of determining the distance of objects from the camera, allowing 3-D image-capture and enhanced autofocus capabilities.

“The arrival of 3-D imaging sensors could revitalize the market for digital still cameras, which has experienced stagnant growth in recent years,” Tufegdzic said. “Shipments of image sensors for digital still cameras could double if the use of 3-D devices takes off.”