A 272.49 pJ/pixel CMOS image sensor with embedded object detection and bio-inspired 2D optic flow generation for nano-air-vehicle navigation

We report a CMOS imager embedded with energy-efficient object detection and bio-inspired 2D optic flow generation cores for navigation of nano-air-vehicles (NAVs). The proposed vision-based navigation system employs spatial difference imaging and gradient orientation using mixed-signal circuits to achieve both energy-efficient and area-efficient implementation. The system achieved 272.49 pJ/pixel with 75% reduction in memory size for integrated operation of object detection and 2D optic flow generation.