NEC’s New µPD9280GM to Sharpen Full HD Image and Video Quality

NEC Electronics announced its new super-resolution application-specific standard product (ASSP), the µPD9280GM, that can reduce blurring that occurs when low-resolution images and video are expanded and displayed in 1920 x 1080-pixel high-definition (HD) monitors.

Based on the company’s single-frame super-resolution technology, the new ASSP achieves crisp images in HD TV broadcasts by boosting 720 x 480-pixel standard definition (SD) image data. It is also capable of supporting one billion colors (30-bits color depths), which enhances color vividness and accuracy of display. The rapid development of high-performance digital audio/visual (AV) devices, such as mobile phones and digital TVs, has left consumers with the challenge of how to view low-resolution images on their new high-definition electronic products. For example, 1920 x 1080-pixel HD televisions have six times the resolution compared to the 720 x 480-pixel SD image data, which results in blurred images.

NEC Electronics and NEC Central Research Laboratories jointly developed a new technology that enables very high-resolution processing with just one frame of image data. In November 2008, NEC Electronics announced the first super-resolution ASSP (part number µPD9245GJ) for HD image processing. To address the demand for full HD image processing, the company now offers the new µPD9280GM super-resolution ASSP.

The new ASSP extends its color quality from 24-bit color supporting 8 bits per component of red, green, and blue (RGB) color, to 30-bit color. While 24-bit color is only capable of displaying 15 million colors, 30-bit color (aka Deep Color Note) can display one billion possible colors with smooth color gradation. With increased operating frequency of 150 MHz, compared to the previous 108 MHz, this improved operating frequency supports advanced processing of image data and boosts images with higher resolution even on full HD television broadcasts.

Conventional image-resolution technologies used a multiframe technique to process image data, which required large-capacity external memory making it expensive and difficult to create hardware capable of real-time processing. NEC Electronics’ super-resolution technology enables high-resolution processing with just one frame of image data. Reducing the processing load eliminates the need for expensive, external high-capacity memory.

NEC Electronics expects this new ASSP will help to better archive valuable images, data and memories previously recorded with only low-resolution technology in various applications, from security camera and automotive backup camera to medical endoscope. The company plans to continue developing super-resolution system-on-chips (SoCs), by leveraging its super-resolution IP cores that can be embedded into ASICs or other ASSP products, such as NEC Electronics’ Enhanced Multimedia Architecture (EMMA) and image-signal processors for mobile phones, the Camera Engine series. With this wide range of products, the company intends to continue to enhance the super-resolution lineup and plans to reach sales revenue of 10 billion yen in 2010.

Samples of NEC Electronics’ µPD9280GM super-resolution ASSP are available now at US$20 each. Mass production is scheduled to begin in July 2009, starting from 100,000 units per month, expecting to reach approximately 1,000,000 units by 2010.

Fujifilm and GE Healthcare form Strategic Alliance in Life Sciences

Fujifilm entered into a Strategic Alliance Agreement with GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric. It will develop, manufacture and supply advanced biomolecular imaging systems to GE Healthcare. The products will be sold worldwide under the GE brand in the life science research and drug discovery markets.

Life science research has advanced rapidly in recent years with the advent of tools for genomic and protein research such as biomolecular labeling, detection and analysis. These technologies have helped reveal the functions of proteins, thereby contributing to scientists’ understanding of disease processes. The use of life science instrumentation and reagents in bioscience research is growing, and the demand for new and innovative enabling technologies is expanding.

“By forming the alliance, both companies will make the most of our complementary capabilities to continue to contribute to the advancement of genomic and protein research, and to help enhance the quality of life of people worldwide. GE Healthcare’s global presence as a supplier of reagents and instruments, and its competence in biological applications within the life science field combined with Fujifilm’s leading imaging technologies, R&D and manufacturing capabilities will provide our customers with comprehensive system solutions for research, drug discovery and bioanalytical applications,” stated Yuzo Toda, Director, Corporate Vice President, General Manager of Life Science Products Division, Fujifilm.

“ We are delighted to work with Fujifilm to expand our support to bioscience research in biomolecular imaging system solutions,” said Nigel Darby, General Manager of Biotechnologies, Life Sciences, GE Healthcare. “Fujifilm’s high quality technology platforms fit well with our proprietary labeling technologies and the adjacent fields in the imaging workflow that GE Healthcare currently addresses. Furthermore, the integration of the imaging platform with our global service organization will give strong and valuable customer support.”

Fujifilm will supply image analyzing systems for bioscience research to GE Healthcare, and GE Healthcare will market and sell them under the GE brand. GE Healthcare will be responsible for marketing/sales of the systems worldwide, and will provide total solutions including instruments, ECL and DIGE labeling reagents, and applications support. Additionally, GE Healthcare will provide instrument services for the systems.

Fujifilm and GE Healthcare will collaborate to develop image analyzing systems that are optimized for customer applications.