Wen丨 Semiconductor industry vertical and horizontal
In November last year, Silver Bull Microelectronics completed the acquisition of Inuitive, an Israeli 3D vision chip design company. A year later, Silver Bull Microelectronics launched the Silver Bull 3D machine vision module C158 based on the Inuitive NU4000 chip in November this year. According to the official, the C158 3D machine vision module released by Silver Bull Microelectronics will be oriented to the robot industry, consisting of 2 fisheye cameras, an RGB color camera, 2 IR infrared cameras, and a 3D laser projector.
The field of 3D vision modules is a relatively small market, and the players in this field show different characteristics, and AI companies, semiconductor companies, and lens companies are all leaving traces in it. In addition, in addition to the processor, ISP and algorithm are also a necessary part of a vision module, which makes the 3D vision module industry more complex.
According to the global 3D imaging and sensing market research report released by Yole, the global 3D visual perception market size was $5 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $15 billion in 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of about 20%. The launch of the IPhone X "Bangs" has expanded 3D vision technology from the commercial scene to the consumption scene, and China has seen a blowout scene of 3D vision, and hardware manufacturers have also formed a climate. China has become the third largest machine vision application market after the United States and Japan. Now, the explosion of the metaverse has given 3D vision a new growth point.
3D vision in the traditional sense mainly has three technical directions: structured light, binocular stereoscopic, and ToF (optical time-of-flight method). According to the three technology directions, some companies have also developed new technologies, such as iToF. The product route of 3D vision module products is also based on these directions.
3D vision involves more hardware parts, such as infrared lasers, infrared receiving cameras, visible cameras, and chips. All components work together to create a reliable 3D vision module. Corresponding to these components, there is an industrial chain of module manufacturers, chip manufacturers, algorithm manufacturers and component manufacturers.
A competitive landscape of barbaric growth
In 2017, Apple released the iPhone X, integrated Face ID face recognition technology, the Android market should also be moved, and the 3D vision market has risen rapidly. Apple's Face ID is of great significance to the next consumption of 3D vision. According to Haitong Securities data, the global smartphone 3D vision hardware market will reach $9.925 billion in 2020, of which Apple mobile phones are $3.148 billion and Android phones are $6.777 billion.
Technically, the implementation of Face ID is the "bangs" in the controversial area of design. This small area integrates up to eight components, integrating 3D vision modules such as infrared lenses, flood illuminators, and dot matrix projectors.
Face ID uses structured light from three technologies to sense the user's facial features through 30,000 dots.
IphoneX Bangs, a typical 3D vision module
In addition to Apple, 3D vision modules have a large number of international use manufacturers, while the chips in the modules are mainly occupied by foreign manufacturers, such as Samsung, Intel, Infineon, Sony and so on.
Intel's Realm is a strong player in 3D vision. Intel has been working on RealSense technology since 2012, renamed the Perceptual Computing division that studied RealSense technology to Realsense in 2014, and launched its first RealSense 3D module in the same year. At present, Intel Realsense's modules include D445, etc., and binocular stereoscopic is the main technology used by Realsense.
At the beginning of this year, Intel RealSense launched the 3D face recognition solution F450/455, which integrates a Full HD RGB camera, a Full HD camera, an 850nm infrared projector, an 850nm infrared LED fill light, and a SoC chip, and the application scenario is smart door lock.
Sony's 3D camera sensors are a must, Sony's products are mainly used for facial recognition, speeding up camera focus and so on. Unlike Intel and Apple, Sony uses mostly ToF technology, it is said that more than half of the domestic mobile phones ToF are using Sony photosensitive chips, and some models of Huawei also use Sony's ToF technology. In itself, ToF technology requires high optical sensing chips Sony has accumulated deep experience in the field of cameras, and Sony also acquired ToF technology company Softkinetic in 2015, and sony has since occupied an absolute share in the field of sensor chips.
Opportunities belong to those who are prepared
The development of 3D vision in China is thriving, thanks to the development of the Internet of Things and policy guidance, there are many domestic companies are the first time to seize the outlet, many of them are hardware companies and robot companies. On the 3D vision chip, many companies have also broken down foreign barriers, self-developed chips down the production line, into the commercial occasion.
Obi hit the light
Obi Zhongguang, which is in the stage of listing inquiry, has earlier developed its own 3D perception chip, which is a company that began to study 3D vision in China earlier, and is also a front-row 3D vision module player in China. In 2018, Obi Zhongguang announced the completion of more than $200 million in Series D financing, which was led by Ant Financial.
Aobi Zhongguang's self-developed 3D sensor products include MX400, MX6000, MX6300, MX6600. At present, the MX6300 has been widely used on mobile phones such as OPPO. The MX6000 is already used on Alipay face brushing devices. The latest MX6600 already has mass production conditions, which can calculate and output a depth map of 30 frames/s 1920*1080 or a depth map of 60 frames/s 1280*960 in real time.
According to its official website, Obi Zhongguang's 3D vision system is suitable for all kinds of service robots, face recognition and face brush payment, etc. At present, the customers that Obi Zhongguang has served include OPPO, Ant Group, UnionPay and other companies. In 2015, Aobi Zhongguang's 3D vision sensor was mass-produced, breaking the barriers that had been built by Apple, Sony, Samsung, Intel and other companies for many years.
On November 30, the website of the Science and Technology Innovation Board showed that the IPO information of Obi Zhongguang was inquired. On December 8, the initial IPO of Obi Zhongguang Technology Group Co., Ltd. passed the review. According to the prospectus of Obi Zhongguang, 1.8 billion yuan will be raised for 3D vision technology projects.
Source: Obi Zhongguang Prospectus (Draft Filing)
Eva Technology
Founded in 2018, startup Eva Technologies focuses on 3D AI system products. According to its official introduction, the company has a large number of scientific researchers from AMD, Intel, Broadcom and other companies.
In May 2020, Eva Technology officially released its first 3D vision chip, the Fluorite Ai3100, which is the first chip of Eva for the AI terminal market. In December last year, the Firefly Ai3101 chip was launched. Relying on the fire chasing, Eva Technology has created a series of 3D face vision modules for chasing fireflies, including A31L18, A31G25, A31P40 three products, which are mostly used in access control and face payment. The 3D visual module of the fire-chasing series also includes NPU, HDR, ISP, etc., using binocular stereo vision technology.
Ai3100 chip architecture diagram. Source: Eva Technology
In July this year, Eva Technology completed a series of financing for the development and commercialization of the self-developed 3D AI vision chip fluorescent series of visual modules.
Fusion of Science and Technology
On September 17, Zhongke Fusion completed a pre-A round of investment of tens of millions of yuan. On December 1, Zhongke Fusion received another round of tens of millions of investment, and this round of financing funds will be mainly used for chip research and development optimization, tape-out and market expansion. Continuous financing into the integration of Science and Technology, this company from the scientific research institute will also usher in the business window.
Founded in 2018, Zhongke Fusion originated from the Suzhou Institute of Nanotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, relying on the MEMS chip research and development line of Suzhou Park, with self-developed MEMS sensing chip and ultra-low-power dedicated AI processor, and module products include 3D cameras, MEMS dynamic fringed structured light modules, etc.
Zhongke fusion 3D-AI chip. Source: Zhongke Fusion
In addition to the above, the domestic deep spot of binocular vision module, optical identification technology WFP nano photonic chip, etc. are the domestic 3D vision hardware in the late stage of the show. However, while technology is developing, domestic companies still have to overcome many difficulties.
The blue ocean also has big waves, and the technical threshold is high
Some related companies have pointed out that in addition to processing algorithms, 3D vision will also involve related optics, structure, heat dissipation and other issues, 3D vision chips and module solutions The technical threshold is very high, and more time, technology and talents need to be invested. There are no very standardized standards and technologies at home and abroad, and the rapid development of the Internet of Things has also brought pressure to enterprise research and development.
At the same time, the supporting equipment of the three technologies is also different, each into a climate. ToF requires narrowband filters; structured light requires emitter optical prisms and DOE gratings; binocular stereoscopic requires infrared or visible cameras. While determining the technology, basically the product route cannot be changed, fish and bear paws cannot be combined, and each is a unique development path.
Market revenue is volatile
As mentioned earlier, Obi Zhongguang is at a critical point in listing. However, according to its prospectus, from 2018 to 2020, Aobi Zhongguang's revenue was unstable and its net profit continued to be a large loss, and its revenue in 2020 fell by 56.62% compared with the previous year; the net profit in the same period showed a continuous loss, with losses of 1.01, 689 and 682 million yuan respectively, and the overall loss amount continued to increase. In the past three years, the revenue of Obi Zhongguang to the top five customers was 141, 380 and 101 million yuan respectively, with great fluctuations.
Coincidentally, according to foreign media in August, Intel will close the RealSense division, gradually reduce investment in 3D cameras and sensors, and focus on core businesses such as chip manufacturing in the future. Some people pointed out that RealSense is still a very niche product relative to the consumer market, and the help for Intel's revenue contribution and business expansion is relatively limited, with the departure of the relevant person in charge, Intel this field should also consider where to go.
The sea is wide and the fish leaps, and opportunities and risks coexist. Face brush payment in the domestic market has begun to spread, what possibilities can face recognition have in the future? The small bangs bring out the vast market, who is right?