Californian optics technology company Pelican Imaging announced yesterday that they will use their camera array solution in order to deliver depth function for mixed reality and augmented reality devices (MR/AR). You might have seen similar technology deployed in Nintendo handheld gaming devices marketed as 3D devices but Pelican Imaging takes it to a different level for a wider range of possible applications – such as the smartphone or a headset.
The products they are building are clearly not designed for stand-alone usage. However the components that are crafted by Pelican Imaging will enable companies that manufacture devices to include a whole different level of camera technology. We can definitely spot a trend towards augmented reality and similar applications in the consumer segment and potentially solution designers will also spot enterprise demand that could allow them to get a foot in the door in the world of business technology.
“As I mentioned in my presentation recently at Augmented World Expo, we believe multi-baseline camera arrays augmented with near-IR patterned illumination can address the needs of depth imaging for these devices. This allows the system to perform robustly in both low light and bright light conditions while delivering high precision near- and far-field depth, providing advantages over ‘time of flight’ systems.”
– Chris Pickett, Pelican Imaging CEO
Whether it’s 3D, mixed reality, augmented reality or just depth-of-field for artistic use, I am looking forward to hear more from Pelican Imaging in the future. Knowing their investors consist of organizations such as Qualcomm Ventures, Nokia Growth Partners, Panasonic, Globespan Capital Partners, InterWest Partners, Granite Ventures, and IQT it is clear that the potential has already been recognized and that there is a good chance of them being a solid part of the future’s entertainment tech solution providers scene.
About Pelican Imaging
Headquartered in Santa Clara and founded in 2008, Pelican Imaging has developed depth-sensing array technology to capture depth, images and video for mobile devices and AR/MR headsets. Pelican’s array solution provides a real-time depth map, enabling handset and wearable device manufacturers to realize improved image quality, faster focus, and highly accurate depth data, across a range of next-generation consumer devices.
YouTube: Life in 3D: Pelican Imaging CEO Chris Pickett Explains Depth-Based Photography
Photo credit: Pelican Imaging
