How does the world's smallest camera make giant impact on surgical procedures?
With its unusual size of 0.575mm x 0.575mm the camera became the winner of a Guinness World Record
September 19, 2023
Just when people thought that the camera could not get smaller than a GoPro, technology hit them with an "I'm not done yet!" and slapped the world with a camera that is as small as a grain of salt.
This innovative miniaturisation of technology may leave people wondering what this camera can possibly be used for but it has had a profound impact on human lives, especially in the medical field.
A recent online sensation featured a microscopic camera with dimensions of just 0.575 x 0.575, according to NDTV.
Given that it represents a substantial leap in the technology of miniaturisation, this image sensor has attracted a lot of interest from social media users.
According to a news release, the device is known as 'OV6948', which is manufactured by US-based OmniVision Technologies and is the winner of the Guinness World Record for "The Smallest Image Sensor Commercially Available" with its size of 0.575mm x 0.575mm.
Meanwhile, OmniVision developed these innovative medical imagers to address the market demand for decreased invasiveness and deeper anatomical access.
Additionally, these imagers can address the many challenges posed by reusable medical imaging equipment, including cross-contamination risks and inefficiencies due to high maintenance costs.
"At Yole Developpement (Yole), we expect disposable endoscope shipments to grow at a 35.9% CAGR over the next five years (1)," asserted Marjorie Villien, PhD, technology and market analyst, medical and industrial imaging.
"This industry is today driven by the recent recommendation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) related to the cross-contamination issues due to improper cleaning of the endoscopes.
In this context, all major endoscope OEMs are developing cost-effective, small-diameter disposable endoscopes with high image quality."
According to the manufacturers, the OVM6948 is the only extremely compact "chip on tip" camera with backside illumination, improving sensitivity while delivering superb image quality and superior low-light performance to help minimise LED heat.
