Infrared and LED lighting specialist Osram has acquired Vixar Inc., a US manufacturer of VCSEL-based optical components and subassemblies. While currently known primarily for identification applications in mobile devices, VCSEL also can be used to recognise gestures and measure distances in medical, industrial and automotive applications. Vixar first brought VCSEL to the data communication market in the late nineties, and more recently pursued sensing applications.
Osram has already succeeded in bringing to market light sources for fingerprint sensors, iris scanners, and 2D facial recognition. The acquired capabilities will pave the way for further security technologies, including ultra-compact 3D facial recognition. In addition to unlocking smartphones and other consumer electronics devices, such technologies also can be used for high-security access controls in industry. Approximately 20 employees of the company, which is based in Minnesota, United States will transfer to Osram as a result of the acquisition. The transaction is expected to conclude in the summer.
