Samsung has released two new sensors, the ISOCELL Vizion 63D and the ISOCELL Vizion 931, that promise to improve AR (augmented reality), VR (virtual) reality headsets, and even smartphones. Each sensor offers opportunities to enhance the virtual and augmented experience and solve different problems of capturing images and depth data.

ISOCELL Vizion 63D

It is a 3D ToF (Time-of-Flight) sensor with a 1/6.4-inch sensor size and 3.5 µm pixels that measure depth and distance with high accuracy. It can capture images with QVGA resolution (320×240) at 30 frames per second and video with VGA resolution (640×480).

This sensor is also the first in the industry to have an integrated ISP for depth measurement, eliminating the need for a separate chip and reducing power consumption by 40% compared to previous models. Thanks to backscattering technology, it has high light absorption and low noise.

In addition, ISOCELL Vizion has two modes – full and spot – that allow you to optimize resolution and range depending on the situation. In the former, priority is given to resolution at short distances, while spot mode increases the range at the expense of resolution.

ISOCELL Vizion 931

It’s a global shutter sensor that captures entire scenes at once, unlike rolling shutter sensors that scan line by line and can introduce motion blur. This sensor has a resolution of 640×640 and is suitable for applications such as iris recognition, eye tracking and face/gesture recognition in headsets.

The manufacturer boasts the industry’s highest quantum efficiency for its infrared light wavelength, which should deliver sharper images. This sensor can connect four cameras with one wire, which simplifies circuit design and saves space.

Both sensors are being tested by device manufacturers and are expected to be used in Samsung’s upcoming mixed reality headset and other AR/VR devices.