Belgian image sensor company Softkinetic is now part of the Sony family

News just got out about Sony's latest purchase – a Belgian image sensor technology company by the name of Softkinetic. Its business is be centered around 3D technology, from the development of CMOS 3D sensors and camera modules, through connecting middleware hardware and software, all the way to analyzing and mapping algorithms.

No specifics about the deal have been disclosed and we can't really be certain where the new company fits in Sony's grand scheme, but the Japanese giant did roughly sketch out that the additional know-how will be put to good use in its thriving camera sensor division.

Softkinetic's current tech is actually pretty impressive, despite its predominantly conceptual nature. The unifying technology behind the company's DepthSense products is a concept referred to as "Time-of-Flight". It entails measuring how long it takes for light to make the trip from the camera and back and then using said data for 3D special mapping.

The whole Softkinetic platform is allegedly smart enough to understand human gestures and actions, down to the most subtle ones, as well as recognize shapes and objects. Hence, it will be quite interesting to see what Sony's intentions are for the company, especially now that the Japanese giant is pondering on the very future of its mobile business.

Source 1 | Source 2 | Via