California-based AIStorm and Israel’s Tower Semiconductor are pushing battlefield imaging into overdrive with the Cheetah HS sensor, embedding AI directly into the chip to capture up to 260,000 frames per second.
The 120×80-pixel device integrates AI at the first processing layer, enabling real-time analysis while significantly reducing energy consumption and material costs.
The system leverages Tower’s charge-domain imaging platform and AIStorm’s analog neurons to convert photons directly into electric charge and process data analogically, bypassing traditional high-speed data converters.
According to the companies, this design delivers up to 4,000 times faster than conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) sensors, a potential edge in missions that demand rapid data capture.
Other features include adjustable frame rates, built-in LED driver, improved low-light performance, and outputs designed for advanced neural processing.
These capabilities can enhance surveillance, targeting, and reconnaissance in environments where every millisecond counts.
“This solution makes slow-motion, real-time analysis accessible to a wide range of markets,” AIStorm CEO David Schie said. “Tower is a global leader in charge-domain pixels with a global shutter, making it the ideal partner for developing breakthrough products.”
Beyond Defense
The chip can deliver either raw high-speed video or pulse streams tailored for neural networks, giving developers flexibility in system design. This versatility extends beyond defense, opening the door to robotics, structural monitoring, and manufacturing.
It can also be used for barcode scanning, printed circuit board inspection, biometric access systems, vehicle-speed detection, and sports analytics.
Cheetah HS is available in both chip form and full reference-camera systems.
