SANTA CLARA, Calif. and MUNICH – April 6, 2022 – OMNIVISION, a leading global developer of semiconductor solutions, including advanced digital imaging, analog and touch & display technology, and Silicon Line, the world leader in ultra-low-power optical link technology, today announced the availability of long (2 to 5 meters), thin and flexible optical cables for endoscopes and catheters. Silicon Line’s SL85018 serializer/de-serializer (SerDes) IC provides data transmission for OMNIVISION’s high-resolution, full HD and 4K MIPI D-PHY-based image sensors, without having any significant heat or excessive power consumption.

The solution uses only one extremely thin optical fiber in place of 10 copper wires for ultra-thin, light and flexible cables between the endoscope camera and camera control unit (CCU). Silicon Line’s ultra-low power SerDes consumes only 24mW at the camera end of the cable, minimizing heat generation. The SerDes IC is just 1.4mm x 1.5mm (bare die) or 5mm x 5mm (UBGA package) in size and can easily be incorporated into a HD/4K endoscope designs. Additionally, these optical cables provide the necessary EMC/EMI shielding from the patient as per IEC 60601 requirements.

“There is a significant need for higher resolution and image quality for gastrointestinal (GI) and airway management endoscopes, which usually use 1080p to 4K2K image sensors running at 60 frames per second. This requires high-speed data transfer of up to 16 Gbps over the length of the endoscope that can be up to 5 meters,” said Tehzeeb Gunja, director of medical marketing at OMNIVISION. “We are pleased to partner with Silicon Line to enable high bandwidth video to be transported over several meters with thin and flexible optical fiber cables that have low system power consumption and are cost-comparative versus copper cables.”

According to Ian Jackson, director of sales and marketing, Silicon Line, “Our proven and reliable optical link solution decreases time to market for our customer base for reusable endoscopes. The technology also supports dual camera operation over the same single fiber. Our expertise in the high-volume consumer market means the bill of materials cost is low so the high-volume reusable endoscope market is a good match for this technology.” 

The cables will be available in mid-2022. Please visit OMNIVISION for a demonstration during MD&M West, April 12-14, booth 1275. For more information, contact your OMNIVISION sales representative: www.ovt.com/contact-sales. 

About Silicon Line

Silicon Line GmbH is the global leader in ultra-low-power optical link technology enabling thin, light weight and long ultra-high-speed cables for consumer electronics, commercial, industrial and medical applications. The company develops and manufactures integrated circuits and modules that allow a simple, low-cost, high-volume assembly of active optical cables. Founded in 2005, Silicon Line is based in Munich, Germany with offices in Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China and the United States. For more information, visit: https://www.silicon-line.com/. 

About OMNIVISION

OMNIVISION is a global fabless semiconductor organization that develops advanced digital imaging, analog, and touch & display solutions for multiple applications and industries, including mobile phones; security and surveillance; automotive; computing; medical; and emerging applications. Its award-winning innovative technologies enable a smoother human/machine interface in many of today’s commercial devices. Find out more at www.ovt.com.