The Live MOS sensor is a brand name of Image sensor used by Leica, Panasonic and Olympus in their Four Thirds System DSLR manufactured since 2006. (Olympus E-330, Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and Leica Digilux 3).
It is possibly researched and developed by Panasonic. It is claimed that the sensor can achieve the same image quality as CCD-based sensors while keeping energy consumption down to CMOS levels.
Due to low energy consumption, it became possible to add the Live View function to all the Four Thirds Cameras since 2006 (except the Olympus E-400, E-410, and E-500).
Also, In order to reduce the noise problem found in the first generation of Four Thirds DSLR cameras, (Olympus E-1, E-300, E-400 and E-500) which used FFT CCD sensors[1] (due to smaller sensor size compared to the APS-C size)[2], the Live MOS chip includes completely new noise-reduction technology.
This sensor is also used in Panasonic's Micro Four Thirds System camera, the Lumix GH1, and in the Panasonic DMC-GF1 and DMC-GF2.
3. Also used in Lumix GH2