Prophesee & Sony Unveil Stacked Event‑Based Vision Sensor with Record HDR and Ultra‑Small Pixels

PARIS — Prophesee, the Paris‑based pioneer of neuromorphic vision systems, and Sony Corp. announced at the International Solid‑State Circuits Conference (ISSCC) in San Francisco a groundbreaking stacked event‑based vision sensor that blends Prophesee’s event‑driven architecture with Sony’s advanced stacked CMOS technology.

Designed from the ground up for asynchronous event detection, the sensor delivers the industry’s smallest pixel size of 4.86 µm and an exceptional high‑dynamic range of 124 dB, enabling reliable operation from bright daylight to deep‑night scenes (down to 40 mLx).

Pixel chip (left) and logic chip (source: Prophesee)

In a stacked configuration, the top pixel layer and bottom logic layer are bonded via copper‑to‑copper interconnects, allowing a dense 40 nm process that achieves a 1280×720 HD resolution while maintaining a high aperture ratio of up to 77%. This architecture also supports an efficient asynchronous delta‑modulation signal‑processing pipeline that captures changes in luminance as discrete events.

For the first time, the collaboration offers the possibility of integrating AI sensing and AI processing directly on or near the sensor, paving the way for truly intelligent edge devices such as autonomous vehicles, industrial robots and advanced machine‑vision systems.

Strategic Partnership

Sony, the world leader in CMOS image sensors, brings its manufacturing excellence and IP portfolio to the partnership, giving Prophesee’s technology commercial credibility. CEO Luca Verre notes that the alliance began in 2017 and that the first samples of the stacked sensor were slated for release in 2020.

For Sony, the partnership signals a strategic shift toward “sensing” rather than mere imaging. It mirrors the impact of the 2015 acquisition of SoftKinetic, which enabled Sony’s “DepthSense” time‑of‑flight (ToF) solutions in Android smartphones. The event‑based sensor positions Sony to capture richer data streams in automotive and industrial markets, where consumers increasingly demand deeper sensory insights.

Expert Insight

Yole Développement’s Pierre Cambou compares the collaboration to “opening Pandora’s box.” He highlights the potential for future stacked designs that integrate neurons, memory and processing, moving toward AI‑integrated image sensors capable of on‑the‑fly enhancement and direct event‑based output.

Pierre Cambou, Yole Développement

By combining Prophesee’s neuromorphic pixel design with Sony’s fabrication capabilities, the joint sensor represents a significant leap forward in vision technology, offering high dynamic range, low noise, and event‑driven operation that aligns with the future of AI‑enabled edge computing.

As both companies aim to bring the sensor to market, the partnership promises to unlock new commercial opportunities and set a new benchmark for vision systems worldwide.