Image Sensors Market: Driven by the Automation & Consumer Electronics

Sensors - A wide segment for smartphones and automated application 

With the advent of smart sensors, devices have become advanced. Machine vision application executed with image sensors has expanded the factory automation, improving the quality, reducing the workforce, and exhibiting advanced industrial automation. The image sensors convert real world images into digital signals, which can be stored and transmitted for visualization on a screen. Image sensors are primarily used in smartphones, digital cameras, and in various other imaging devices used in numerous industries to include media, healthcare, and consumer applications. The low-cost image sensors built from off-the-shelves electronic components are usually employed for visual surveillance and intrusion detection applications. 

The market competition for image sensor market is still at its peak, and the manufacturers are striving to outperform their competitors or rivals with respect to resolution, pixel count, and performance of the device. Transformation of Charged-Coupled Device (CCD) based image sensors into complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) imaging technology is set to change the future of image sensor technology. The processing features of CMOS imaging sensor technology is integrated with System on Chip (SoC) technology, which demonstrates impressive growth.

Image sensor is a mature device or technology, having niche applications in various industry such as medical devices, automobiles, industrial, security & surveillance, aerospace and defense, and transportation. Apart from the aforementioned industries, there also are other emerging markets such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) that have their own demand for imaging sensors technology. Imaging sensors are becoming the eyes of intelligent systems and artificial intelligence technology. The increasing speed and accuracy of artificial intelligence is proving to be beneficial for the machines and provides AI-based advanced machines such as robots, drones, and self-driving cars.

Image sensors are experiencing heavy adoption in healthcare applications that include oncology, endoscopy, x-rays, artificial retinas, dentistry, cardiology, mammography, and microscopy. Apart from that, increasing demand of sensors in electronics-based medical equipment to convert various forms of stimuli into electrical signals for analysis, as well as the demand for sensors in clinics and robotized nurses will grow the demand for image sensors. Dr. Marjorie Villien, member of the Medical Technologies has analyzed that in the field of imaging for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, strokes and cancers, there will be a huge investment and development to understand the technology better to reshape the medical technology market. The need for real-time, accurate and reliable result remotely monitoring device demand are increasingly growing in a hospital, clinic, or at home for patient monitoring.

The future of smart hospitals will meet the highest quality and safety standards and also be affordable, convenient, and flexible. Smart hospitals and the digital technology invoked with it will usher a whole new paradigm for patient management, diagnoses, and health care delivery. A wide range of sensors, particularly image sensors can be incorporated into the hospital infrastructure to create an advanced and smart hospital with contact-free health monitoring.

Consumer electronics is a fast-growing market for image sensing technology. CMOS based imaging sensor technology has enabled the utilization of advanced imaging solutions in consumer and industrial machine-vision applications. Digital cameras used to be one of the largest end-users in the consumer electronics sector for image sensors. However, smartphones in this era have become the need of every person, used for communication and task-oriented activities. This multitasking device has progressed over the years, which is also named as the multi-purpose mobile computing device. The advent of smartphones reduces the need for high-end cameras along with computers. 

Machine vision technology is envisioned as a boon for various industries, as it allows to understand the market better. The next big growth opportunity for image sensors is in the automotive sector, with the adoption of self-driving vehicles. 

Sony Corporation, one of the best-known names in consumer electronics and the global leader in image sensors, to invest $5.3 billion into image sensor production, to raise the output of image sensors and other chips. Sony describes image sensors as the “eyes” of connected devices and self-driving cars.

Furthermore, the Aerospace and Defense industry will also leverage image sensor technology, utilizing it across the entire defense and aerospace ecosystem including complex controls, monitoring, measurements, and execution. CMOS technology based image sensors will be one of the efficient and reliable solutions for the overall industry. This will also increase the throughput of the expensive production machine and automation process system.

The world of image sensor market is growing and is predicted to grow with some of the individual applications showing a higher growth rate. Few fast-growing applications such as computer vision and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) will show significant growth in the near future, driving the image sensor market simultaneously. And, the small amount of power-packed small-size sensors will change the complete autonomous verticals with advanced computing and environment-friendly workforce.