Honey I shrunk the camera!

Damian Koh | Dec 13, 2005

A pair of recently patented technology from the University of Rochester could possibly enable imaging chips to draw a mere fraction of the energy used today, while at the same time, deliver better images. If that sounds good to you, here's something even better: Cameras the size of a shirt button running on a single battery for years may soon become a reality, according to the ingenious team at the institute.

While it may be a tad difficult to visualize a digital SLR shrunk to the size of a shirt button now, think miniature units for use in wireless security cameras. The duo, Mark Bocko, professor of electrical and computer engineering and Zeljko Ignjatovic, assistant professor also from the same discipline, have designed a prototype chip that can digitize an image at each individual pixel level. They are also concurrently working to incorporate a technology that will surpass the best current compression techniques.

According to Bocko, "these two technologies may work together or separately to greatly reduce the energy cost of capturing a digital image". In a further statement, Bocko also mentioned while one technology stretches current limitations, the other focus entirely on revolutionalizing the method digital images have been captured.

Read more about the technical bits.