NASA Space

Sensors and Instrument Technology

Active Pixel Sensor for Telerobotics

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is looking at ways to apply the Active Pixel Sensor (APS) to Telerobotics-related projects:

1. On the rover technology program, JPL is examining potential system savings from using APS imagers instead of CMOS imagers. The APS appears to be very attractive. This trade study is still on-going.
2. In a small project funded by the JPL Director's Discretionary Fund (DDF), JPL is extending the APS imager technology to also perform the first stage of image processing for stereo vision. This is being done by adding on-chip, analog image processing circuitry to perform a simplified version of the image pyramid transformation that is the first step of our stereo vision algorithm. The first design of this chip is due back from fabrication in April. If it is successful, this work, and future extensions of it, have potential to significantly improve the obstacle detection capability of microrovers, with a smaller, lower-power sensor system than that used on Rocky 3 and the Pathfinder rover.
3. In other DDF-sponsored work, JPL is investigating the use of APS imagers, and on-chip image processing electronics, for science imaging and autonomous navigation of Venus balloons. This work is still in an early study phase.
4. Two other proposed Telerobotics program tasks are considering using the APS, these being the nanorover and the low-cost vision system proposals.

In summary, it appears that APS imager technology does have strong potential to benefit the Telerobotics program.

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