Melexis Releases Chipset, Evaluation and Development Kit for ToF 3D Vision in a Challenging Environment

Melexis announces a chipset, evaluation and development kit that simplifies and accelerates the implementation of robust time-of-flight (ToF) 3D vision solutions for the most challenging environments. The chipset is a complete ToF sensor and control solution that supports QVGA resolution and offers unmatched daylight robustness and an operating temperature range of -40°C to +105°C. Designers can use the evaluation and development kit to test this automotive-ready chipset and start developing their own custom hardware and applications.

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The Melexis chipset integrates the company's MLX75023 1/3-inch optical format ToF sensor with the MLX75123, a companion IC that controls the sensor and illumination unit and provides data to the host processor. Together, these devices minimize component count and reduce the size of 3D ToF cameras. The modular EVK75123 QVGA evaluation kit is designed for maximum flexibility - it combines a sensor board with the chipset, a lighting module, an interface board and a processor module.

The MLX75023 sensor features QVGA (320 x 240 pixels) resolution and industry-leading backlight suppression of up to 120klux. The IC delivers raw data output in less than 1.5ms, giving you unparalleled ability to track fast movements. The MLX75123 control chip features a 12-bit parallel camera interface and I2C connection, as well as four integrated high-speed analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Integrated features include powerful diagnostics and support for regions of interest, configurable timing, image flipping, statistics, and modulation frequency.

Since the MLX75023 and MLX75123 each have a footprint of only 7mm x 7mm and 6.6mm x 5.5mm, they require a small board surface. The robustness of the chipset makes it ideal for automotive, surveillance and intelligent buildings as well as industrial applications including machine vision, robotics and factory automation. The operating temperature range is -20°C to +85°C in standard configurations, while offering a high temperature range of -40°C to +105°C. High temperature capability means that the solution is different from alternative solutions – it minimizes the need for active cooling. Therefore, it can reduce noise and achieve further thermal management related cost and space savings.

The EVK75123 evaluation kit consists of four vertically stacked PCB boards, namely sensor board, lighting board, interface board and processor board. It measures 80mm x 50mm x 35mm and is equipped with an NXP (i.MX6) i.MX6 Multi-core processor. The lighting unit has four vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) with a 60° field of view (FoV) or wider 110° option to capture imaging data from a wider area. Thanks to its modular construction, engineers can choose the components they need. For example, they can use a sensor board (including the ToF chipset) in combination with other hardware elements, or just use it as a stand-alone module. The processing board can be placed away from the sensor board and the lighting board as needed.

"Through our long-term expertise in sensor and sensor interface technology, we are able to provide the advanced chips needed to implement 3D imaging systems for superior daylight robustness and high temperatures." Melexis Optical Sensors According to marketing manager Gualtiero Bagnuoli, "This new chipset and corresponding evaluation board provides a comprehensive, fully integrated, off-the-shelf solution for the rapid development of next-generation ToF 3D camera designs."