Scientists have created a solar-powered camera measuring less than a millimeter. It could be anywhere!

A new type of camera doesn’t require any external power as the sensor both takes pictures and transforms light into power. And all of that in less than a single millimeter.

CMOS image sensor
By Filya1 CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons

Scientists from the University of Michigan showcased a new type of a miniature camera that can not only take pictures and video but doesn’t require any external power to do so. The sensor itself works similarly to a solar power cell so it gives power to the camera itself. Some might actually realize that sensors in the camera actually already work similarly to solar power cells. They transform light into electricity. But in cameras, the electricity is precisely modulated so it can be stored as information.

The newly developed sensors are based on standard CMOS chips uses two layers. The first layer is the standard sensor that uses light to capture an image. The second layer uses the remaining light to power the whole device using solar power cells. And while the amount of light that gets through is really small it is actually more than enough to power the whole miniature camera. Obviously, the resolution and overall capabilities of the camera in terms of image quality aren’t great at the moment but we need to keep in mind that this is only the first prototype. Potentially uses for this technology are quite broad, from IoT devices and as miniature sensors in places we could never before imagine.

Sources:

• https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8305517/?part=1