https://community.element14.com/products/manufacturers/ams_osram/en-USTelligent Community 12https://community.element14.com/products/manufacturers/ams_osram/b/blog/posts/how-can-optical-technology-enable-non-invasive-assessment-of-long-term-metabolic-stressTue, 21 Jul 2026 07:28:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:4e43f303-c013-427b-b62c-9a15d96d31bdCorinnaR.Wearable devices are highly effective at monitoring real-time physiological parameters such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, and other vital signs. While these measurements provide valuable information about the body's current state, some physiological changes develop gradually and may not be apparent from momentary readings alone. One emerging approach is the measurement of Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) via skin autofluorescence. AGE-related signals are associated with long-term metabolic processes and can provide additional physiological context beyond traditional vital sign monitoring. For engineers developing next-generation wearables and medical devices, the challenge is to integrate this capability into compact, robust systems. Recent advances in multi-wavelength optical components demonstrate how AGE measurement can be combined with established optical sensing functions within a single architecture, enabling both heart-rate monitoring and AGE assessment. In our latest article, we explore how optical sensing technology enables non-invasive AGE measurement and why this supplementary vital sign could help expand the capabilities of wearable and point-of-care devices. Read the full article: More than a snapshot in time: Supplementary vital sign offers deeper insight into long-term health risks | ams OSRAMvital sign monitoringHealthams osrammedicalsensorhttps://community.element14.com/products/manufacturers/ams_osram/b/blog/posts/ir-led-product-versions-based-on-the-new-ir-6-technology-to-boost-performance-in-security-and-biometrics-applicationsFri, 13 Dec 2024 08:53:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:688af84d-f616-40ce-8fd3-234a1c2f84c2CorinnaR.The new IR:6 thin-film chip technology will enable manufacturers of products such as security cameras and biometric authentication systems in PCs and smart doorbells to achieve better illumination for improved image quality as well as the faster, more accurate recognition of individual biometric markers, while saving power and extending battery run-time between charges. In medical equipment such as light therapy fixtures for the treatment of tissue damage, the higher optical power output from the IR:6 chip will enable equipment manufacturers to use fewer LEDs while producing the same therapeutic effect, saving space and reducing bill-of-materials cost. The first ams OSRAM products to take advantage of the new chip are the OSLON® P1616 series of high-power LEDs in a compact 1.6mm x 1.6mm package — and the OSLON® Black family, which offers various viewing angle options, including a new rectangular field of illumination which is perfect for use with IR cameras. Dominic Bergmann, Product Marketing Manager at ams OSRAM, emphasized: ”The new, improved IR:6 technology is raising IR LEDs from ams OSRAM to the top rank in their market segment for brightness and efficiency. Customers that replace their existing IR LEDs with new IR:6-based LEDs can instantly achieve better performance in their application with lower power consumption.” IR:6: the next generation of infrared LED technology The new IR:6 chip technology implements various improvements in materials, structure and design to achieve its superior performance. These improvements include: Improvements to the intrinsic chip efficiency A new central bond pad for better current spreading and a lower forward voltage Better roughening of the chip’s surface for higher decoupling efficiency and higher brightness In addition, the new IR:6 technology adds the capability to emit light at a 920nm dominant wavelength, as well as the familiar 850nm and 940nm wavelengths. The new 920nm option offers a higher signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than the 940nm option because of photodiodes’ higher sensitivity to shorter wavelengths, and a weaker visible red glow effect than at 850nm. At the time of its launch, the IR:6 technology is available in the following ‘B’ designated versions of the existing OSLON® P1616 products, which are aimed at space-constrained applications: OSLON® P1616 SFH 4180BS – 920nm/940nm wavelength options, 1485mW radiant flux, 130° viewing angle OSLON® P1616 SFH 4181BS – 920nm/940nm wavelength options, 1550mW radiant flux, 70° viewing angle OSLON® P1616 SFH 4182BS – 920nm/940nm wavelength options, 1650mW radiant flux, 130° optimized viewing angle The technology is also available in new versions of existing OSLON® Black emitters: OSLON® Black SFH 4713B – 850nm wavelength, 980mW radiant flux, 80° viewing angle OSLON® Black SFH 4714B – 850nm wavelength, 940mW radiant flux, 150° viewing angle OSLON® Black SFH 47167B – 850nm wavelength, 940mW radiant flux, 110° x 130° rectangular field-of-illumination The IR:6 chip is manufactured by ams OSRAM at its plant in Regensburg, Germany. The entire supply chain for OSLON® P1616 and OSLON® Black LEDs, from chip to packaging, is fully controlled by ams OSRAM to give customers full confidence in the product’s high-volume availability. Further information on the IR:6 technology can be found on our homepage. Learn more in the latest whitepaper, click here to download for free: IR LED IR:6 | ams OSRAM The IR:6 technology is e.g. used in biometric authentication systems in PCs The IR:6 technology is also used in Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) applicationschip technologyledams osramhttps://community.element14.com/products/manufacturers/ams_osram/b/blog/posts/leveraging-multispectral-sensing-to-reduce-food-waste-ams-osram-s-photonic-innovationTue, 03 Dec 2024 09:59:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:e85719e4-937d-4971-be9f-43e397fb4501CorinnaR.Food waste is a pressing global challenge that affects both the environment and the economy. Recent figures show that up to one-third of the food produced globally is lost or wasted, leading to unnecessary resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and financial losses. ams OSRAM, a global leader in intelligent sensors and emitters, is committed to providing cutting-edge sensor technologies that address these issues head-on. The company’s multispectral sensing solutions are driving meaningful change in the agricultural and food industries by pinpointing ideal harvest times, ensuring better quality control and reducing waste throughout the supply chain. At the Photonics Days Jena 2024, ams OSRAM presented the latest advancements in multispectral sensing technology, showcasing how its solutions are helping to transform food production and management. By delivering precise, real-time data on the ripeness and quality of fruit, the company empowers industries to make informed, sustainable decisions that benefit both businesses and the planet. Tackling food waste with multispectral technology Food loss and waste contribute significantly to the world’s environmental footprint, including 4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions. By addressing inefficiencies in harvesting, post-harvest handling, and distribution, ams OSRAM can help to significantly reduce waste. Its multispectral sensing technology offers a powerful solution by identifying the optimal time for harvesting and managing food quality during storage and transportation. The company’s multispectral sensors operate by analyzing the molecular composition of fruit through the reflectance of light at specific wavelengths. These non-invasive sensors track critical molecular changes, such as the breakdown of chlorophyll or the accumulation of carotenoids, providing an accurate and detailed picture of the ripening process. The science: spectral insights into ripening ams OSRAM’s multispectral sensors leverage the visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR), and shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectra to monitor key pigments and molecules such as chlorophyll, anthocyanins, carotenoids, water, and carbon-hydrogen bonds. As fruits ripen, these molecular components evolve, which can be precisely measured using the company’s sensors. In a comprehensive 18-week study, researchers from ams OSRAM examined the ripening process in Gala apples, tomatoes, and bananas. Using spectroscopic data, they identified clear markers at key wavelengths that indicate the optimal harvest time and ongoing ripeness: Chlorophyll (670 nm): Reflectance decreases as the fruit ripens, signaling the degradation of chlorophyll. Anthocyanins (550 nm): These pigments, which give fruit its red and purple hues, become more pronounced as the fruit ripens. Carotenoids (480 nm): Responsible for yellow and orange colors, carotenoids increase toward full ripeness. Water and starch (970–1190 nm): These bands provide insights into internal changes like water loss and starch conversion, critical for monitoring fruit quality during storage. By tracking these wavelengths, sensors from ams OSRAM offer outstanding accuracy in determining the ripeness of various fruits, helping producers harvest at the perfect time to maintain quality and reduce losses. Practical applications: from field to consumer The AS7341 multispectral sensor is at the core of these innovations. This compact, cost-effective solution captures real-time data across eight visible (VIS) channels and one near-infrared (NIR) channel, making it a versatile tool for a wide array of industries. With its advanced multispectral sensing technology, the AS7341 delivers actionable insights at every stage of the food supply chain. These include: Agriculture: Smart harvesting systems can determine the ideal time for picking fruit, minimizing the risk of over-ripening in the field and reducing food loss during transport. Processing and sorting: Automated sorting systems can categorize fruits based on internal quality rather than appearance, improving efficiency and cutting waste in processing plants. Retail and distribution: Supermarkets and distribution centers can monitor produce freshness in real time, ensuring that only the highest-quality products reach the shelves. Consumer devices: Handheld devices equipped with multispectral sensors could soon help consumers select perfectly ripe fruit, reducing household food waste. The potential for multispectral sensing technology in the food industry is immense. With the ability to reduce waste, improve product quality, and extend shelf life, ams OSRAM’s sensor solutions offer a scalable, cost-effective tool for farmers, food processors, and retailers alike. By integrating these sensors into their operations, businesses can streamline workflows, enhance quality control, and make significant contributions to global sustainability efforts. Looking ahead: shaping a sustainable future The multispectral sensing research presented at the Photonics Days Jena 2024 highlights the transformative power of photonics in the fight against food waste. ams OSRAM’s innovative sensor technologies are not only helping businesses operate more efficiently but also driving the future of sustainable food production. By enabling real-time, data-driven decision-making, the company is contributing to a more sustainable food system for future generations. Our vision is clear: to harness the power of light for a smarter, more sustainable world. As the demand for efficient, eco-friendly solutions grows, ams OSRAM remains at the forefront of innovation, creating products that deliver tangible benefits across industries. Together, we can reduce food waste, improve quality, and pave the way for a brighter, more sustainable future.environmentmultispectral sensorams osramsensorhttps://community.element14.com/products/manufacturers/ams_osram/b/blog/posts/how-ingenuity-and-expertise-led-to-the-development-of-our-multi-pixel-ledMon, 25 Nov 2024 13:14:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:adfc8891-8b4a-4b4d-a9bf-8c3253cd59c3CorinnaR.A stunning performance breakthrough in car headlamps The origin of a technology breakthrough often lies not in a scientific or engineering insight, but in a vision, an imagined future. For a specialist team of our engineers in the early 2010s, the spark for their imagination came from a discussion with a customer. Their wild idea? A pixelated LED light source. At the time, an LED was a simple chip producing one homogeneous light beam – that is, a single ‘pixel’. What our engineers were thinking of was a truly futuristic idea for a beam made up of hundreds or thousands of individual beams. Applied in headlights, this idea had the potential to give light a new meaning: a beam that can adapt dynamically to changing conditions outside the car, and as well, a beam that can convey messages. Soon, the potential value of this idea for industry and for the end consumer became so appealing that a small but dedicated development group was set up, drawing on participants from across the whole value chain, from the LED manufacturer, to a headlamp manufacturer and a car OEM. This pioneering vision led eventually to the introduction in 2023 of ams OSRAM’s EVIYOS® technology. The EVIYOS® LED is a multi-pixel light source for car headlamps which can project pictures on the road, and selectively dim sections of the high beam to avoid dazzling other road users while illuminating much more of the driver’s field of view than a conventional low-beam headlamp does. The harder the problem, the more inventive the solution The scale of the technological hurdles that had to be overcome was enormous. When the work started, a single LED was a chip with a typical light-emitting area of up to 1mm x 1mm. The dimensions were far too large to fit the concept of a ‘multi-pixel’ headlamp. But the problem did not stop with the need for smaller LED light sources: a multi-pixel headlamp would also require new electronics for controlling the beam, and new packaging and manufacturing technologies for making the system. It was almost impossible to imagine how such a product could be made. The seed, however, had been planted. In fact, the sheer apparent impossibility of the problem forced the engineers to consider solutions that normally might have been rejected out of hand as being too extreme or risky or unlikely to succeed. The development work started with a 4-pixel LED as a proof-of-concept. But this did not reflect our team’s vision: their idea was to make a headlamp which contained thousands of pixels. There was a huge gulf between the four pixels in the proof-of-concept, and the multi-pixel headlamp that the team had in mind. How could it justify the enormous development effort and risk required to bridge the gap between four and thousands of pixels? In fact, market demand was beginning to move in the team’s favor. The first adaptive driving beam (ADB) headlamps with 20 mm x 1mm chips on the OSRAM OSTAR headlamp platform were coming on the road, starting in a luxury car and extend to compact cars thanks to the improved safety they offered for night time driving. But it was obvious that those ADB solutions with single LED chips would reach a physical limit at around 100 chips. To realize the original team’s vision, tens of thousands of pixels were needed: to fill the gap, it was clear a completely new technology was needed. From idea to reality: a team effort This moment brought an offer from the German government for a publicly funded project. This gave the opportunity to form a consortium of industrial and scientific contributors: Daimler, the car OEM, which could define the system requirements and provide the application environment for testing and validating the headlamp Hella for designing and assembling the lamp OSRAM* for the LED, and for integration of the LED with an IC and associated electronics Infineon, to make an LED driver capable of controlling multiple LED ‘pixels’ Fraunhofer for technology system integration As the µAFS (Micro Advanced Frontlighting System) project team, the engineers from these companies worked from 2013 to 2016. OSRAM, developing the opto-semiconductor technology, encountered many problems in realizing its ambitious microLED concept, including: Producing sufficient optical power output (brightness) from the LED Crosstalk at the LED and phosphor layer, causing light to leak between LED pixels Difficulty in maintaining color consistency across the microLED array Nevertheless, the teams found solutions, and in 2016 revealed the fruit of their labor: a 1,024-pixel microLED headlamp concept that was able to individually control each pixel. This was an astonishing feat of engineering, producing far smaller LED point light sources than had ever been made before. In fact, this demonstration design contained 10 times more LED pixels than any existing technology could support, which led to the development of the EVIYOS® 1.0. Now OSRAM, ever the pioneer in lighting , committed to transforming the concept from an idea to a proof-of-concept towards product development. It was the kind of engineering challenge that excites the people at ams OSRAM: at every level from senior management to the development engineering team, people could see the potential in multi-pixel LED headlamps to make road travel safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable. Through the magic of light, OSRAM could transform the night-time driving experience. Hopes of success are dashed The moment of revelation – the release of the EVIYOS® 1.0 – was, however, both a triumph and a crushing disappointment. To make a real headlamp from this pixelated LED, headlamp makers would require as many as five of the multi-pixel LEDs, each with its own optics. It became clear that this would be too cumbersome and expensive to manufacture. Despite all the valuable engineering breakthroughs that the OSRAM team had made, their proof-of-concept was not the basis of a commercially viable product. It was back to the drawing board for the team. And the task was now even harder, because the car industry had decided that its idea of dynamic forward lighting included the ability to project pictograms (such as safety warning or information messages) on to the road. This would require even more pixels. Despite the µAFS disappointment the OSRAM team never lost hope. In fact, they were in 2018 buoyed by the news that two large competitors in the LED market had learned from the papers published by the µAFS project team, and were now busy attempting to develop their own automotive microLED projectors. The race was on! So now, two years after finishing the µAFS consortium it was decision time for OSRAM: it faced the choice of walking away, or doubling down on its investment in the technology. OSRAM had always been a leader in the technology of light. It had a famous history of innovations in automotive lighting. Breakthroughs in opto semiconductor technology had always required courage and perseverance, and the multi-pixel LED was no different. So OSRAM committed itself to the technology: with a substantially larger team, drawing in experts from multiple disciplines, now started work on developing a commercially viable product. After becoming ams OSRAM as the result of the merger between OSRAM and analog semiconductor manufacturer ams, the team also benefited from the Austrian company’s in-house IC design and manufacturing expertise. The EVIYOS LED finds a ready market It took another five years of relentless research and development to produce the new EVIYOS® LED . By 2023, ams OSRAM was ready to launch the EVIYOS® product: a 25,600-pixel LED in a single package with a fully integrated driver IC which individually controls every single pixel. The EVIYOS® LED fully realizes the original vision for multi-pixel LED technology: the beam can be precisely controlled to cut off the beam where it would dazzle the occupants of oncoming vehicles or pedestrians by the side of the road, while providing a large, bright field of illumination to light the road ahead even better than a conventional high beam does. It can also project in high resolution pictograms and text on to the surface of the road ahead, providing a new capability to provide safety signals and useful information to the driver, as well as to convey branded ‘welcome’, ‘coming home’ and other messages to the car’s users. www.youtube.com/watch And the EVIYOS® LED is a commercially viable product, with the first headlight product recently announced. The vision has finally been realized. Like all technology breakthroughs, the EVIYOS® project subjected its engineers to their fair share of disappointing setbacks as well as joyful triumphs. Its story shows that you have to have stamina to walk through the valleys of disappointment before you reach the heights of fulfilment. The EVIYOS® project is a clear example of the long-term commitment, strategic thinking and perseverance needed at all levels for a company to be a true innovator. From senior management to the engineering team, it takes commitment and engagement to succeed, and trust to persevere in the face of setbacks. This is the path which ams OSRAM has been on, and which it continues to follow. Please also sign up for our webinar: Webinar: EVIYOS® 2.0 - New era in road safety | ams OSRAM (ams-osram.com)ledams osramhttps://community.element14.com/products/manufacturers/ams_osram/f/forum/55042/as7421-problem-with-smux-and-gain-configuration/225220Sun, 10 Nov 2024 09:04:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:bfe1bf27-c9a3-46ad-8031-e4cc9dd58fccAkropolidisHello, I'm working on a sensor library for the AS7421 as well to use for a project and I was just wondering how you decided on the configuration ( {0x21,0x21,0x21,0x21,0x43,0x43,0x43,0x43}) for the ram registershttps://community.element14.com/products/manufacturers/ams_osram/b/blog/posts/ams-osram-and-dominant-opto-technologies-to-enable-smart-automotive-ambient-lighting-with-intelligent-rgb-leds-leveraging-open-system-protocolFri, 08 Nov 2024 08:57:00 GMT93d5dcb4-84c2-446f-b2cb-99731719e767:abc66444-b448-4e83-a2b0-ec2fb44b3f22CorinnaR.The Open System Protocol (OSP) is a simple, open network technology for connecting LEDs, sensors, actuators and other devices in a car. Developed by ams OSRAM, the OSP is available for use completely free, with no license or royalties, by any manufacturer of LEDs or other devices. It’s particularly suitable for connecting hundreds of low- or mid-power LEDs in a dynamic lighting system, an increasingly popular option for automotive interior ambient and exterior lighting. www.youtube.com/watch Make interior vehicle lighting easier with a Stand-Alone Intelligent Driver (SAID) The world’s first OSP-compatible LED was the OSIRE® E3731i , an intelligent RGB LED with integrated driver. Now ams OSRAM has introduced a stand-alone OSP LED driver which enables any other low- or mid-power LED to behave as though it were directly connected to an OSP network. This means that manufacturers of automotive lighting systems can build OSP lighting networks without needing to use LEDs that have OSP connectivity built-in – and without the need for a local microcontroller to provide the OSP functionality. By avoiding the need to add local microcontrollers, this new stand-alone driver makes it easier to implement over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates – an important feature of new software-defined vehicle architectures. The new driver, the AS1163 , is known as a Stand-Alone Intelligent Driver (SAID) . It has nine output drivers, so a single SAID chip can drive three RGB LED channels. The chip’s intelligence is in its OSP networking capability. The driver implements commands for dynamic lighting effects transmitted over the OSP network from the host controller – the driver can adjust brightness at 16-bit resolution (equivalent dynamic range), 15-bit resolution (PWM 500Hz), or 14-bit resolution (PWM 1000Hz).AS1163 drivers can operate alongside OSIRE® E3731i LEDs in the same application. The SAID enables more flexibility But as well as driving RGB or single-color/white LEDs (both toplookers and sidelookers), each SAID device can also provide a bridge to the OSP network for any component, such as a sensor or actuator, that has an I2C interface. So now automotive manufacturers can build a complete OSP network with just a single host microcontroller, and with multiple SAID devices providing OSP connectivity for any low- or mid-power LEDs, and any I2C devices such as sensors, actuators or memories. An OSP network (which is compatible with a physical CAN bus) can connect up to 1,000 nodes at a maximum data rate of 2.4 Mbps in a two-wire daisy-chain configuration. The AS1163 is ideal for automotive interior lighting systems , which are typically assembled as long thin strips of LEDs: it is supplied in a slim 16-lead QFN package with a 3 mm x 3 mm footprint, ideal for instance in a lightbar assembled on a single-layer PCB. It has adjustable output current options from 1.5 mA to 48 mA (CH0) or 24 mA (CH1, CH2) per driver for low-power LEDs. Output clustering enables it to provide a single output of up to 288 mA for a mid-power LED. This means that the AS1163 can support automotive exterior as well as interior lighting applications. Automotive lighting designers can evaluate the AS1163 intelligent driver with the SAID Demonstrator Board, available via all authorized ams OSRAM sales channels from June 2024.ledams osramsensor