| Industry | Fabless Semiconductor |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1996 (S-Tec) 2002 (PMDTec) |
| Headquarters | Siegen, Germany |
| Key people | Dr. Bernd Buxbaum Dr. Thomas May Volker Siegle |
| Products | 3D CMOS Image sensors |
| Employees | 50+ (2010) |
| Website | www.PMDTec.com |
PMDTechnologies is a developer of CMOS semiconductor 3D time-of-flight (ToF) components and a provider of engineering support in the field of digital 3D imaging.[1] The company is named after the Photonic Mixer Device (PMD) technology used in its products to detect 3D data in real time. The corporate headquarters of the company is located in Siegen, Germany.
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After initially focusing on industrial applications,[2][3] PMDTec began to spread their application areas into other fields, including the automotive sector,[4][5] consumer electronics, gaming,[6] security & surveillance, medical technology [7] and live sciences. As a fabless IC supplier, PMDTec designs high-integrated 3D CMOS imagers according to customer and application specific requirements. PMDTec has state-of-the-art optical wafer testing capabilities in order to test and certify their PMD PhotonICs sensors to comply with relevant industry-specific standards and specifications. To customers and partners they provide support for mixed signal chip design (CMOS), digital system design (VHDL), system-on-chip (SoC) integration, development of sensor modules and camera solutions, as well as 3D visualization and image processing.[8][9]
PMDTec was founded in 2002 as a spin-off of the Center for Sensor Systems (ZESS) at the University of Siegen, Germany. It was the result of over 10 years of scientific research on 3D ToF imaging.[10]
Another ZESS spin-off, S-TEC Sensor GmbH, founded in 1996, began developing PMD products in 1997. This company was acquired by PMDTec in 2002.
Investments, among others by Audi Electronics Venture GmbH, Audi AG and ifm electronics GmbH, exceed 30 million euro (up to 2010).
The new generation of "Smart-Pixel" PMD sensors is able to capture a complete 3D scene in real time without any moving parts, e.g. as used in scanners. The first patent for these PMD standard CMOS time-of-flight sensors was filed in 1996. With these new semiconductor components, it is possible to "perceive" distance in addition to the common grayscale information directly. A modulated optical signal sent out by a transmitter illuminates the scene to be measured. The reflected light is detected by the PMD sensor, which is able to determine the time-of-flight per every single pixel. Thus the complete 3D information is captured in parallel - without needing excessive calculation power. The PMD method is a time-of-flight (ToF) approach in terms of performance, resistance to background light, robustness, cost and size. Since 2007, the company’s own series of conferences, the PMD[vision] Day, has been keeping customers, partners and 3D enthusiasts up-to-date with latest news and developments.[11]
1996 Basic PMD patents are filed and S-TEC Sensor GmbH founded to develop PMD-based solutions and services
1997 Proof of the PMD concept and Launch of extensive development projects with major automotive OEMs
1998 Government-funded automotive initiative "3D-SIAM" is launched (total value six million euro) and First Solid State Time-of-Flight Demonstrator (1D) worldwide based on PMD.
2000 First Solid State Time-of-Flight 3D Camera based on PMD.
2002 PMDTechnologies GmbH is founded, Audi Electronics GmbH becomes a shareholder,[12] Acquisition of S-TEC GmbH and PMD is nominated for the German Future Award[13] which is issued by the President of Germany
2003 Launch of PhotonICs 1k-S (64x16 pixels), the first all-solid-state 3D ToF sensor with suppression of background light feature – a milestone for outdoor applications in tough environments, e.g. for use in automobile safety Launch of PMD[vision] 1k-S, 3D outdoor camera based on PhotonICs 1k-S
2004 Launch of PhotonICs 19k (160x120 pixels), the first high-resolution 3D ToF sensor, Launch of PhotonICs 3k-S (64x48 pixels) for manufacturing industries,
License agreement with ifm electronics and Start of development of products for deployment in manufacturing and automation
2005 ifm electronics gmbh becomes a shareholder, Launch of efector pmd, and Hanover Fair's Hermes Award for efector pmd[14]
2006 Launch of the third generation sensor for the automotive applications: PhotonICs 1k-S3 (64x16 pixels), Launch of the second generation sensor for manufacturing industries: PhotonICs 3k-S2 (64x48 pixels),
and Merger of PMDTec GmbH and S-TEC GmbH Government-funded robotics Lynkeus project launched (total value 12 million euro)
2007 Launch of PMD[vision] O3 (64x48 pixels)
2008 Launch of the PhotonICs 41k-S (204x204 pixels), the highest resolution all-solid-state 3D ToF sensor in the world, more than 100,000 PMD sensors sold to date, Launch of efector pmd 3d and PMDTec is winner of the Innovation Award for efector pmd 3d[15]
2009 Launch of PMD[vision] CamCube (with 204x204 pixels – a world record for all-solid-state 3D ToF technology), Launch of PMD[vision]S3 (64x48 pixels) and Start of Hightech.NRW project "LaotSe" – 2D/3D sensor fusion project funded by North-Rhine Westphalia (total value four million euro) [16][17] Frost & Sullivan Bestows European Enabling Technology Award in Real-Time 3D Imaging on PMDTechnologies GmbH [18][19][20]
2010 Launch of PMD[vision] CamBoard (with 200x200 pixels – first USB powered single board 3D ToF camera worldwide)
2011 Omek Interactive and PMDTechnologies announce strategic partnership to deliver integrated high-end gesture recognition and body-tracking solutions[21]
Automatic full braking in city traffic (pre sense city) is based on a PMD Sensor, [22]
PMDTec establish a new branch in Dresden [23]
The major competitor in the field of time-of-flight cameras is MESA Imaging.