LG Innotek today announced that it will begin to mass produce ToF (Time of Flight; measuring of flight-time distance) module for smartphone to secure the leading position in the high-tech 3D sensing component market. ToF module is a high-tech 3D sensing component which perceives three-dimensionality, spatial information, and movement of an object by using the distance calculated based on the return time of the light shot towards and bounces off of a target object. The distance range a ToF module can cover for 3D sensing is long. It consumes less electric power than other 3D technology and can be made slim; therefore, it is very suitable for mounting onto a smart phone. G8ThinQ, a new LG Electronics flagship smartphone to be released on the 24th, houses this ToF module on the front.
This module can be used to carry out various functions for biometric verification, motion sensing, artificial reality, and virtual reality, etc. Thus, it is increasingly becoming a key component for products that seek to deliver differen-tiated user experience. 3D sensing is being considered a ground-breaking technology that can replace the touch technology to dramatically improve digital devices and deliver better user experience. If 3D sensing is applied to smart phones, users can conveniently operate various functions without actually touching their devices. That is because 3D sensing module can detect the specific features and movements of one’s face or hands to carry out certain commands, such as switching the screen. So, there would also be no need to take your gloves off to touch the smart phone screen in freezing cold weather.
3D sensing can be easily applied to PCs, wearable devices, home electronics, and automobiles. When used in automobiles, instead of trying to find and press various con-trol buttons while driving, the driver can use hand gestures to control functions like the AC and GPS navigation. Since drivers won’t have to take their eyes off the road, this would greatly improve driving safety. The future of 3D sensing module production market is bright. According to Yole Dévelopment, a global market research company, the global market size of 3D image processing and sensing devices will see a three-fold increase from USD 2.9 billion in 2018 to become USD 9 billion by 2022.
