Dr. Do Young Kim, an associate professor at Oklahoma State University, is developing a groundbreaking, ultralow-cost Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) sensor technology. This innovation aims to overcome the current limitations of existing SWIR sensors, which are prohibitively expensive (often over $10,000) and have low resolution. Dr. Kim’s project utilizes a novel OLED-based up-conversion approach that could reduce the cost to under $500 while increasing resolution to more than 100 megapixels, making the technology far more accessible.
The new sensor technology works by converting invisible SWIR light into visible light, which can then be captured by conventional, low-cost silicon-based image sensors found in everyday devices like smartphones and digital cameras. This advancement not only improves imaging in challenging conditions like fog and smoke but also has significant implications for Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR). SWIR LiDAR is considered eye-safe, allowing for the use of higher-power lasers that can improve both range and reliability compared to current visible and near-infrared LiDAR systems.
