Rochester, N.Y. — Eastman Kodak Company has developed a CCD image sensor that enables high-definition (HD) image capture for industrial and broadcast video markets. Based on Kodak's latest Interline CCD technology, the KAI-02150 image sensor provides full support for the 1080p image capture standard, supporting 1920 x 1080 pixel (16:9 aspect ratio) image capture at 60 frames per second, which is twice the frame rate of standard HD video.

The KAI-02150 is based on the KODAK TRUESENSE 5.5 micron Interline Transfer CCD Platform, which provides advances in pixel size, frame rate, and image quality compared to the previous generation of technology. "The most significant spec is the overall resolution and frame rate of the sensor — providing 1080p resolution (1920 x 1080, with progressive scan) at 60 fps. This makes the image quality improvements we developed in the KODAK TRUESENSE 5.5 micron Interline Transfer Platform available for HD capture and at a frame rate twice of that used for standard capture," said Michael DeLuca, marketing manager for Image Sensor Solutions at Eastman Kodak Company.

The new sensor also provides a dynamic range of 64 dB. This allows both highlights and shadows to be captured at the same time, and expands the number of colors a camera can capture, DeLuca said. "This is important not only for broadcast applications where you want to capture and reproduce an entire scene as lit by a designer but also for applied applications such as medical imaging (using an HD camera in an operating theater) or even for traffic monitoring (where the 16:9 format allows more than one lane to be captured at one time and dynamic range allows information in shadows to be seen)," he said.

In addition, other imaging parameters such as image smear and read noise have been improved with this technology, which also results in improved image quality.

Designed in the 2/3-inch optical format, the KAI-02150 sensor also shares a common package, pin-out, and electrical configuration with the 1-megapixel KAI-01050 image sensor, allowing camera manufacturers to easily adapt existing camera designs to support the new device.

Pricing: Approximately $425 in volume.
Availability: Engineering grade devices are currently available, with volume production planned for fourth quarter 2008.
Product information: image sensor products

Eastman Kodak Company, Image Sensor Solutions, 1-585-722-4385, www.kodak.com/go/imagers