Live demonstration: Real-time high dynamic range video acquisition using in-pixel adaptive content-aware tone mapping compression

This demonstration targets the acquisition of realtime video sequences involving High Dynamic Range (HDR) scenes. Adaptation to different illumination conditions while preserving contrast is achieved by using a sensor chip, which implements an adaptive content-aware tone mapping compression algorithm by using in-pixel circuitry. Its response gets adapted to changing illumination conditions by using at each frame a statistical estimation of the light distribution, which is derived from the HDR histogram calculated at the previous frame. This method allows adaptive HDR video, while capable to capture very large DR scenes including moving objects.Office of Naval Research (USA) N000141410355Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad IPT-2011-1625-430000Junta de Andalucía TIC 2338-201

Control and acquisition system for a high dynamic range CMOS image sensor

A control and acquisition system for the visualization of the images captured with a High Dynamic Range (HDR) CMOS Image Sensor is developed. The image sensor is inserted in a PCB system, which performs low level control, in communication with a PC software, which performs high level control and images visualization. In order to make it user-friendly, we have opted to use object-oriented method to implement the computer software. The system has an attractive interface, and it is easy to operate. It also includes additional functionalities, such as the increment of the frame rate, enhancement of human perception of details contained in the depicted scene and the possibility to display statistical data for illustrating the behavior of the chip.Office of Naval Research (USA) N000141110312Gobierno de España TEC2009-11812, IPT-2011-1625-43000

A 148dB focal-plane tone-mapping QCIF imager

http://digital.csic.es/handle/10261/84304This paper presents a QCIF HDR imager where visual information is simultaneously captured and adaptively compressed by an in-pixel tone-mapping scheme [1]. The tone mapping curve (TMC) is calculated from the histogram of an auxiliary previous image, which serves as a probability indicator of the distribution of illuminations within the current frame. The chip maps 148dB scenes onto 7-bit/pixel coding, containing illuminations from 2.2mlux (SNR10) to 55.33klux -with extreme values captured at 8s and 2.34µs, respectively. Pixels use an Nwell-Psubstrate photodiode and autozeroing for establishing the reset voltage. Measured sensitivity is 5.79 V over lux·s. Dark current effects in the final image are attenuated by an automatic programming of the DAC levels. The chip has been fabricated in the 0.35µm OPTO technology from AMS

A QCIF 145dB imager for focal plane processor chips using a tone mapping technique in standard 0.35μm CMOS technology

This paper presents a QCIF HDR imager where visual information is simultaneously captured and adaptively compressed by means of an in-pixel tone mapping scheme [1]. The tone mapping curve (TMC) is calculated from a nonlinear histogram of the previous image, which serves as a probability indicator of the distribution of illuminations within the present frame. The chip produces 7-bit/pixel images that can map illuminations from 311 10-6lux to 5875 lux in a single frame in a way that each pixel decides when to stop observing photocurrent integration –with extreme values captured at 8s and 20 s respectively. Pixels use a 3x3 m2 Nwell-Psubstrate photodiode and an autozeroing technique for establishing the reset voltage, which cancels most of the o set contributions created by the analog processing circuitry. Measured sensitivity is 5.79 V lux s . Dark current e ects in the final image are attenuated by an automatic programming of the DAC top voltage. The chip has been designed in the 0.35 m OPTO technology from AMS.FEDER TEC2009-1181

Locust-inspired vision system on chip architecture for collision detection in automotive applications

This paper describes a programmable digital computing architecture dedicated to process information in accordance to the organization and operating principles of the four-layer neuron structure encountered at the visual system of Locusts. This architecture takes advantage of the natural collision detection skills of locusts and is capable of processing images and ascertaining collision threats in real-time automotive scenarios. In addition to the Locust features, the architecture embeds a Topological Feature Estimator module to identify and classify objects in collision course.European Commission IST2001 - 38097Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC2003 - 09817- C02 - 0

High-dynamic range tone-mapping algorithm for focal plane processors

This paper presents a Dynamic Range improvement technique which is specially well-suited to be implemented in Focal Plane Processors (FPP) due to its very limited computing requirements since only local memories, little digital control and a comparator are required at the pixel level. The presented algorithm employs measurements during exposure time to create a 4-bit non-linear image whose histogram determines the shape of the tone-mapping curve which is applied to create the final image. Simulations results over a highly bimodal 120dB image are presented showing that both the highly and poorly illuminated parts of the image keep a sufficient level of details.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-11812Junta de Andalucía 2006-TIC-235

Form Factor Improvement of Smart-Pixels for Vision Sensors through 3-D Vertically- Integrated Technologies

While conventional CMOS active pixel sensors embed only the circuitry required for photo-detection, pixel addressing and voltage buffering, smart pixels incorporate also circuitry for data processing, data storage and control of data interchange. This additional circuitry enables data processing be realized concurrently with the acquisition of images which is instrumental to reduce the number of data needed to carry to information contained into images. This way, more efficient vision systems can be built at the cost of larger pixel pitch. Vertically-integrated 3D technologies enable to keep the advnatges of smart pixels while improving the form factor of smart pixels.Office of Naval Research N000141110312Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación IPT-2011-1625-43000

Metástasis pulmonar y pleural en cáncer de pene, una patología infrecuente

Introduction: Carcinoma of the penis is a rare tumor in our environment, constituting less than 1% of deaths in men and it is defined as the proliferative disordered process of squamous epithelial cells of the penis. Objective: The objective of the following manuscript is to present the case of a patient who developed cancer of the penis with metastasis to the lung. Clinical case: An 85-year-old patient was admitted due to a 24-hour clinical picture consisting of hematuria associated with non-productive cough, low back pain, asthenia and adynamia. He had a history of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis, he was identified as a heavy smoker until two years ago and presented chronic exposure to wood smoke. On the physical examination, the patient evidenced a regular general state, respiratory sounds that suggested left hypoventilation, absence of penis due to his clinical history and outflow of hematuric urine through bladder catheter, ganglia in the inguinal region, edema in the lower limbs with formation of flictenas on the dorsal zone of the feet. Imaging studies confirmed the presence of mass in a pulmonary region together with pathological fractures at the thoracic level, thus, palliative care was provided, and the patient was discharged from the hospital. Conclusions: Penile cancer is a low prevalence worldwide pathology. Approximately 95% of these cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, which can easily spread locally through lymphatic or vascular channels; nonetheless, its metastatic disease development is rare and mainly affects organs such as the liver, bone, and brain. However, few cases of metastasis to the dorsal spine, heart, retroperitoneum, breast tissue, lung, and skin have been reported.  Introducción: El carcinoma de pene es un tumor infrecuente en nuestro medio con menos del 1% de muertes en el hombre. Se define como el proceso proliferativo y desordenado de las células epiteliales escamosas del pene. Objetivo: Presentar el caso de un paciente que presentó cáncer de pene con metástasis a pulmón. Caso clínico: Paciente de 85 años ingreso por cuadro clínico de 24 horas de evolución consistente en hematuria asociado a tos no productiva, lumbalgia, astenia y adinamia. Tenían antecedentes de carcinoma escamosos de pene, fumador pesado hasta hace dos años, exposición crónica a humo de leña. Al examen físico con regular estado general, ruidos respiratorios sugestivos de hipoventilación izquierda, ausencia de pene por antecedentes y sonda vesical salida de orina hematúrica, ganglios en región inguinal, edema en miembros inferiores con formación de flictenas en cara dorsal de los pies. Los estudios imagenológicos confirmaron la presencia de masa a región pulmonar junto con fracturas patológicas a nivel torácico, por lo que se dio manejo paliativo con egreso hospitalario. Conclusiones: El cáncer de pene es una patología de baja prevalencia a nivel mundial. Aproximadamente el 95% de estos canceres son carcinomas de células escamosas que fácilmente pueden diseminarse localmente a través de canales linfáticos o vasculares, a pesar de ello, la probabilidad de enfermedad metastásica es rara, y afecta principalmente a órganos como el hígado, los huesos y al cerebro, sin embargo, se han reportado pocos casos de metástasis a columna dorsal, corazón, retroperitoneo, tejido mamario masculino, pulmón y metástasis cutáneas. &nbsp

Metástasis pulmonar y pleural en cáncer de pene, una patología infrecuente

Introduction: Carcinoma of the penis is a rare tumor in our environment, constituting less than 1% of deaths in men and it is defined as the proliferative disordered process of squamous epithelial cells of the penis. Objective: The objective of the following manuscript is to present the case of a patient who developed cancer of the penis with metastasis to the lung. Clinical case: An 85-year-old patient was admitted due to a 24-hour clinical picture consisting of hematuria associated with non-productive cough, low back pain, asthenia and adynamia. He had a history of squamous cell carcinoma of the penis, he was identified as a heavy smoker until two years ago and presented chronic exposure to wood smoke. On the physical examination, the patient evidenced a regular general state, respiratory sounds that suggested left hypoventilation, absence of penis due to his clinical history and outflow of hematuric urine through bladder catheter, ganglia in the inguinal region, edema in the lower limbs with formation of flictenas on the dorsal zone of the feet. Imaging studies confirmed the presence of mass in a pulmonary region together with pathological fractures at the thoracic level, thus, palliative care was provided, and the patient was discharged from the hospital. Conclusions: Penile cancer is a low prevalence worldwide pathology. Approximately 95% of these cancers are squamous cell carcinomas, which can easily spread locally through lymphatic or vascular channels; nonetheless, its metastatic disease development is rare and mainly affects organs such as the liver, bone, and brain. However, few cases of metastasis to the dorsal spine, heart, retroperitoneum, breast tissue, lung, and skin have been reported.  Introducción: El carcinoma de pene es un tumor infrecuente en nuestro medio con menos del 1% de muertes en el hombre. Se define como el proceso proliferativo y desordenado de las células epiteliales escamosas del pene. Objetivo: Presentar el caso de un paciente que presentó cáncer de pene con metástasis a pulmón. Caso clínico: Paciente de 85 años ingreso por cuadro clínico de 24 horas de evolución consistente en hematuria asociado a tos no productiva, lumbalgia, astenia y adinamia. Tenían antecedentes de carcinoma escamosos de pene, fumador pesado hasta hace dos años, exposición crónica a humo de leña. Al examen físico con regular estado general, ruidos respiratorios sugestivos de hipoventilación izquierda, ausencia de pene por antecedentes y sonda vesical salida de orina hematúrica, ganglios en región inguinal, edema en miembros inferiores con formación de flictenas en cara dorsal de los pies. Los estudios imagenológicos confirmaron la presencia de masa a región pulmonar junto con fracturas patológicas a nivel torácico, por lo que se dio manejo paliativo con egreso hospitalario. Conclusiones: El cáncer de pene es una patología de baja prevalencia a nivel mundial. Aproximadamente el 95% de estos canceres son carcinomas de células escamosas que fácilmente pueden diseminarse localmente a través de canales linfáticos o vasculares, a pesar de ello, la probabilidad de enfermedad metastásica es rara, y afecta principalmente a órganos como el hígado, los huesos y al cerebro, sin embargo, se han reportado pocos casos de metástasis a columna dorsal, corazón, retroperitoneo, tejido mamario masculino, pulmón y metástasis cutáneas. &nbsp