Communications of the ACM
Columbia Engineering Professor Invents Video Camera That Runs Without a Battery
This video camera can run indefinitely without an external power supply, as it uses a new kind of pixel that can measure incident light and convert it into electricity.
Credit: Computer Vision Laboratory
Columbia University researchers have invented a self-powered prototype video camera that can produce an image each second, indefinitely, of a well-lit indoor scene. The camera uses a new kind of pixel that can measure incident light and convert it into electrical power.
"Digital imaging is expected to enable many emerging fields, including wearable devices, sensor networks, smart environments, personalized medicine, and the Internet of Things," says Columbia professor Shree K. Nayar.
The new pixel is called a photodiode, which produces an electric current when exposed to light. The researchers used off-the-shelf components to create an image sensor with 30x40 photodiodes.
In the prototype camera, which is housed in a 3D-printed body, each pixel's photodiode is always operated in the photovoltaic mode. The image sensor continuously toggles between image capture and power-harvesting modes, enabling the pixels first to record and read out the image and then to harvest energy and charge the sensor's power supply. In addition, when the camera is not used to capture images, it can be used to generate power for other devices, such as a phone or a watch.
"We believe our results are a significant step forward in developing an entirely new generation of cameras that can function for a very long duration--ideally, forever--without being externally powered," Nayar says.
From Columbia University
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