Built on direct time-of-flight (dToF) measurement technology, the VL53L9 packs advanced sensing capabilities into a compact, low-cost package. The component delivers data that can be used directly by artificial intelligence applications, or by edge AI running on microcontrollers with limited compute power.

The group said the sensor can generate high-resolution depth data at speeds of up to 100 frames per second. Its performance targets a wide range of applications, including robotics, industrial automation, smart buildings, augmented and virtual reality, and healthcare equipment.

According to Alexandre Balmefrezol, executive vice president and general manager of STMicroelectronics' Imaging sub-group, the VL53L9 simplifies the integration of sensing systems while reducing the complexity of electronic architectures. He believes the innovation will enable the group's customers to accelerate the development of new applications in robotics, smart infrastructure, and health monitoring.

With this launch, STMicroelectronics said it is continuing a strategy aimed at moving beyond the role of a sensor supplier to offer integrated sensing systems compatible with artificial intelligence applications deployed at the network edge.