Miniaturized piezoelectric motion modules move hundreds of lenses with micrometer precision, contributing to unprecedented image detail in the wide-field-of-view camera developed at Duke University
Piezoelectric micro motor and miniaturized drive circuit enable tiny motion systems that operate directly from 3V battery power
Technical paper Presented at Actuator 2012 by David Henderson, New Scale Technologies – Micro-scale smart actuator modules have recently been commercialized for imaging systems. These smart actuators enable “plug and play” integration, rapid prototyping and faster times to market.
Article published in Electronic Products – Technology developed for today’s smart phone cameras is being extended for use in non-consumer applications. In this article we discuss how and why phone camera focus systems evolved from voice coil motors to piezo motion systems, and what that means for designers of embedded imaging systems for non-consumer applications.
Technical paper Presented at SPIE Photonics West BiOS conference 2012 by Snehal Patel, Milind Rajadhyaksha, Stefan Kirov, Yongbiao Li and Ricardo Toledo-Crow, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC)
Piezoelectric closed-loop motion modules are integral to the Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment (DICE) satellite funded by NSF
We all are familiar with the consumer digital cameras that are in our pockets, mobile phones and personal computers. Thanks to incredible advances in microelectronics, CMOS image sensors and optics, most of us have a very good camera within reach most of the time.
Now these tiny cameras are inspiring product engineers in “non-consumer” applications—such as biometric identification, medical and diagnostic devices, and machine vision—to make even greater products. In fact, markets for these new applications are projected to grow faster than consumer camera markets over the next few years.
In this article we discuss sensor and lens requirements, compare the M3-F focus module to voice coil motors and stepper motors, and talk about image processing, digital signal processing and other system considerations.
Technical paper in Optics Letters by Shoude Chang, Erroll Murdock, Youxin Mao, Costel Flueraru and John Disano, Inst. for Microstructural Sciences, Nat’l Research Council Canada
Precision piezoelectric lens motion modules are now in production in camera systems from leading OEMs in key markets; more than 50 additional OEMs have completed qualification of camera systems to begin production in 2011- 2012
