In an official blog, Samsung hinted that it had started working on image sensors with resolutions up to 600MP, which puts its lenses in a position beyond the human eye. The Korean tech giant was one of the first to make and use ISOCELL 108MP camera sensors in smartphones. The blog also explored in detail how Samsung was able to use such a large number of megapixels in small sensors. The company uses "Nonacell technology" which uses a 3×3 pixel structure compared to a standard 2x2 matrix. This allows nine 0,8μm pixels to function as 2,4μm pixels, which also increases the amount of light absorption the pixels are capable of. This setup also improves the low-light performance of the sensors.
Flavor and odor sensors.
Beyond high-megapixel sensors, Samsung is also looking at sensors capable of detecting wavelengths beyond the capabilities of the human eye, such as ultraviolet light. These could be used to detect cancer cells, while infrared sensors could be used in black light photography. In addition, the company also said that its researchers would work on sensors capable of registering smell or taste. In addition to smartphones, Samsung says it is looking to provide camera sensors for autonomous vehicles, drones, and other Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
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(Image credit: Ishan Agarwal)
When can we wait?
Samsung hasn't really detailed a roadmap for when we might see these sensors or how that would overcome the challenges of achieving such a high megapixel count. However, he reiterated that the trend towards a high number of deputies will continue until 2020 and beyond. It is also possible that the 600MP sensors will not be used in smartphones at all, as nothing on the blog suggests such a possibility. This news comes amid reports that we may eventually see a 256MP camera later this year.