Zheyu Yang, Taoyi Wang, Yihan Lin, Yuguo Chen, Hui Zeng, Jing Pei, Jiazheng Wang, Xue Liu, Yichun Zhou, Jianqiang Zhang, Xin Wang, Xinhao Lv, Rong Zhao & Luping Shi. A vision chip with complementary pathways for open-world sensing. Nature 629, 1027–1033 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07358-4

Abstract
“Image sensors face substantial challenges when dealing with dynamic, diverse and unpredictable scenes in open-world applications. However, the development of image sensors towards high speed, high resolution, large dynamic range and high precision is limited by power and bandwidth. Here we present a complementary sensing paradigm inspired by the human visual system that involves parsing visual information into primitive-based representations and assembling these primitives to form two complementary vision pathways: a cognition-oriented pathway for accurate cognition and an action-oriented pathway for rapid response. To realize this paradigm, a vision chip called Tianmouc is developed, incorporating a hybrid pixel array and a parallel-and-heterogeneous readout architecture. Leveraging the characteristics of the complementary vision pathway, Tianmouc achieves high-speed sensing of up to 10,000 fps, a dynamic range of 130 dB and an advanced figure of merit in terms of spatial resolution, speed and dynamic range. Furthermore, it adaptively reduces bandwidth by 90%. We demonstrate the integration of a Tianmouc chip into an autonomous driving system, showcasing its abilities to enable accurate, fast and robust perception, even in challenging corner cases on open roads. The primitive-based complementary sensing paradigm helps in overcoming fundamental limitations in developing vision systems for diverse open-world applications.”

Zheyu Yang, Taoyi Wang, Yihan Lin, Yuguo Chen, Hui Zeng, Jing Pei, Jiazheng Wang, Xue Liu, Yichun Zhou, Jianqiang Zhang, Xin Wang, Xinhao Lv, Rong Zhao & Luping Shi. A vision chip with complementary pathways for open-world sensing. Nature 629, 1027–1033 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07358-4