
Portable infrared solutions provider Stratio has announced what it claims is the world’s first Ge-based short-wave infrared (SWIR) camera that is 5x lighter, 10x less power consuming, and 20x cheaper than current SWIR Indium Gallium Arsenide (InGaAs) cameras. BeyonSense is offered as the world’s first smartphone-compatible short-wave infrared (SWIR) camera.
SWIR light ranges from 0.9 – 1.7µm wavelength, outside the typical range of silicon sensors. SWIR imaging provides high resolution images in situations where visible light is insufficient, including night vision and difficult environmental conditions.
Historically, InGaAs sensors have been used to provide the benefits of SWIR imaging, but the material requires expensive and heavy equipment limiting use to industrial, laboratory, and defense applications. With innovation in the sensor materials – unlocking germanium to be responsive to infrared light waves – the company says it has successfully reduced the size, cost, and power consumption of the infrared camera.
Paired with the sensor technology, the company’s AI platform translates the data into meaningful insights. Use case examples include autonomous and driver assistance systems (ADAS), robotic surgery, and precision agriculture. Examples of the full use of the company’s hardware and software are farmers’ ability to identify best harvest times; and enhancing driver capabilities with precise hazard detection.
The BeyonSense 1 SWIR camera is accessible to the public and can be purchased now for $1,699.
