Technology Originally Developed for Space Missions Now Integral to Everyday Life
The Unlikely Origins of a Technology Revolution
In the 1980s, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) was on the cutting edge of space science, with a team of engineers working tirelessly to develop high-quality image sensors for space missions. But little did they know, their work would soon have a profound impact on the world beyond the reaches of space exploration. The technology they developed, known as the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel image sensor, would go on to revolutionize the way we capture and share images, transforming industries and everyday life in ways both profound and subtle.
The Birth of a New Technology
In the early 1990s, Dr. Eric Fossum, a young engineer at JPL, was tasked with advancing the charge coupled device (CCD) technology that was then the standard for space science imaging. But Fossum had other ideas. He saw the potential for a new technology, one that would combine the benefits of CCDs with the efficiency and flexibility of CMOS sensors. And so, the CMOS active pixel image sensor was born.
A Breakthrough in Image Quality
The CMOS active pixel image sensor was a game-changer. Unlike traditional CCDs, which required a complex process to transfer charges from each pixel to an output amplifier, CMOS sensors had signal amplifiers within each pixel, allowing for direct readout and significantly improved image quality. But there was a catch – CMOS sensors produced too much noise to produce high-quality images required for science applications.
The Solution: Intra-Pixel Charge Transfer
To solve this problem, Fossum applied a technique commonly used in CCD devices, known as intra-pixel charge transfer with correlated double sampling. This technique enabled a double measurement of a pixel's voltage without and with the light-generated charge, allowing for noise to be suppressed and the signal-to-noise ratio to be improved.
The Next Steps
The development of the CMOS active pixel image sensor was a collaborative effort, with several companies signing technology cooperation agreements with JPL to partner with Fossum and his colleagues. In 1995, Fossum and co-worker Dr. Sabrina Kemeny licensed the technology from CalTech and founded a company called Photobit to develop CMOS sensors. The Photobit team further refined the CMOS technology to get it closer to CCD capabilities, reduce power requirements, and make manufacturing cheaper.
The Rise of CMOS Cameras
The CMOS active pixel image sensor was soon adopted by industries beyond space science, including webcams, "pill cams," and other applications. In 2001, Photobit was acquired by Micron Technology, a larger company that devoted even more resources to the development of CMOS technology. With the subsequent explosion of the cell phone industry, by 2013 more than a billion CMOS sensors were manufactured each year, and today that number has grown to about seven billion per year.
The Impact of CMOS Technology
The CMOS active pixel image sensor has had a profound impact on the world, transforming industries and everyday life in ways both profound and subtle. Virtually all digital still and video cameras, including those on cell phones, employ CMOS technology. In addition, CMOS technology is used in automotive electronics, webcams, sports cameras, industrial equipment, security cameras, and cinematography cameras, and for medical and dental imaging, among many other applications.
The Future of CMOS Technology
As the demand for high-quality images continues to grow, the development of CMOS technology will continue to evolve. The National Academy of Engineering has named Dr. Fossum the recipient of the 2026 Charles Stark Draper Prize for Engineering "for innovation, development, and commercialization of the complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) active pixel image sensor 'camera-on-a-chip.'" The NAE bestows this award biennially to honor an engineer "whose accomplishment has significantly impacted society by improving the quality of life, providing the ability to live freely and comfortably, and/or permitting the access to information."
Conclusion
The CMOS active pixel image sensor is a testament to the power of innovation and collaboration. From its humble beginnings at JPL to its widespread adoption in industries and everyday life, this technology has had a profound impact on the world. As we look to the future, it is clear that the development of CMOS technology will continue to shape the way we capture and share images, transforming industries and everyday life in ways both profound and subtle.
