Himax, emza and CEVA Partner to Create Ultra-Low Power, Always-On Vision Sensor for IoT

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CEVA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CEVA), the leading licensor of signal processing IP for smarter, connected devices, together with Himax Imaging, Inc., a subsidiary of Himax Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: HIMX) and emza Visual Sense, today announced that the companies have developed the industry's first intelligent always- on visual sensor specifically designed to overcome the power- and cost -constraints of vision processing for IoT applications. The companies will showcase the WiseEye IoT sensor at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017, January 5-8, 2017 in Las Vegas.  

The WiseEye IoT sensor solution is purpose-built from the ground up with always-on, low power visual sensing in mind. By integrating Himax' unique low power CMOS Imager Sensor, CEVA's low power vision DSP technology and emza's unique machine vision algorithms, the result is a powerful solution capable of detecting, tracking and recognizing its environment in an extremely efficient manner using a few milliwatts of power. This disruptive sensor allows low-cost IoT systems to employ advanced always-on intelligence which can, among other things, detect, track and identify objects, people and animals. This intelligence is applied locally on the device, passing only relevant information up to the network. This is fundamental to reducing the bandwidth and cost of deploying visual sensing networks. Target applications include virtual assistants, wearable devices, connected home sensors, residential security, protection of elderly, automotive, smart buildings systems and smart city infrastructure.

"Our image sensors have long been among the leanest in the industry in terms of power consumption. We have leveraged our vast expertize to develop an ultra-low power sensor specifically for IoT," said Amit Mittra, CTO of Himax Imaging. "Our collaboration with CEVA and emza tightly integrates our sensor with the best-in-class processor and machine vision that allows us deliver a truly unique always-on, contextually aware sensor solution that is affordable for almost every application."

"Machine vision based sensors enhance the intelligence and functionality of any device, and our WiseEye IoT solution aims at bringing these capabilities to the vast and largely untapped IoT space," said Yoram Zylberberg, CEO of emza Visual Sense. "In Himax and CEVA we have two of the leading experts in sensors and vision processing, and the ideal partners to realize the industry's first always-on intelligent visual sensor."

"At CEVA, low power intelligent vision processing is a key component of our strategy to enable a smarter, connected world, and we're excited to work with emza and Himax to introduce a unique and revolutionary solution for always-on intelligent visual sensing," said Ilan Yona, vice president and general manager of the Vision Business Unit at CEVA. "A purpose-built solution such as the WiseEye IoT will help to truly realize the potential of machine vision in IoT by delivering the performance and battery life at a price point that supports mass deployment."

The WiseEye IoT visual sensor solution will be showcased at CEVA's meeting suite at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017, January 5-8, 2017 in Las Vegas. To schedule a meeting, contact CEVA at events@ceva-dsp.com.

About Himax Imaging, a subsidiary of Himax Technologies, Inc. Nasdaq:HIMX
Himax Imaging is a fabless semiconductor company that develops CMOS Image Sensors (CIS), system-on-chip (SOC) and specialized solutions for next generation camera. As a relative newcomer in the CIS industry, Himax Imaging is dedicated itself to several domains with high potential such as 3D computer vision, ultra low power computer vision, and automotive applications besides the conventional mobile phone and PC market. For more information, please visit: http://himaximaging.com/. 

About emza Visual Sense
Emza Visual Sense is dedicated to the development of integrated, autonomous, miniature machine-vision devices for automatic scene interpretation of the visual world around us. Our technology includes the Reduced Recognition Architecture (RRA) and proprietary algorithms, that attempt to mimic what we know of how vision challenges are solved in nature. Our technology explores the limits of what can be achieved with minimal resolution, frame rate, processing power, power consumption - and cost.
Visit us at www.emza-vs.com

About CEVA, Inc.
CEVA is the leading licensor of signal processing IP for a smarter, connected world. We partner with semiconductor companies and OEMs worldwide to create power-efficient, intelligent and connected devices for a range of end markets, including mobile, consumer, automotive, industrial and IoT. Our ultra-low-power IPs for vision, audio, communications and connectivity include comprehensive DSP-based platforms for LTE/LTE-A/5G baseband processing in handsets, infrastructure and machine-to-machine devices, computer vision and computational photography for any camera-enabled device, audio/voice/speech and ultra-low power always-on/sensing applications for multiple IoT markets. For connectivity, we offer the industry's most widely adopted IPs for Bluetooth (low energy and dual mode), Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g/n/ac up to 4x4) and serial storage (SATA and SAS). Visit us at www.ceva-dsp.com and follow us on Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

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SOURCE CEVA, Inc.