A ToF camera measures distance by actively illuminating an object with a modulated light source such as a laser and a sensor that is sensitive to the laser’s wavelength for capturing reflected light. The sensor measures the time delay ∆ between when the light is emitted and when the reflected light is received by the camera. The time delay is proportional to twice the distance between the camera and the object (round-trip), therefore the distance can be estimated as depth = cΔ/2 where c is the speed of light.

There are different methods for measuring ∆T, of which two have become the most prevalent: the continuous-wave (CW) method and the pulse-based method. It should be noted that the vast majority of CW ToF systems that have been implemented and are currently on the market use CMOS sensors, while pulsed ToF systems use non-CMOS sensors (notably CCDs).

In partnership with Microsoft Corp., ADI is building out a new portfolio focused on CMOS CW-based products that complement our existing products for CCD pulsed-based systems. ADI is leveraging its technical expertise and building upon Microsoft’s Azure Kinect technology to deliver leading ToF solutions that offer the highest depth accuracy possible, operate over farther distances, and perform robustly across environments with minimal power consumption.