Infrared-LEDs from Osram enable face recognition in Smartwatches

The more we rely on our digital companions, the more important the security of sensitive data on our Smartphone or Smartwatch becomes. Various methods of biometric identification provide the user with security and form a reliable "lock" against unwanted access. For manufacturers of mobile devices, the size of the individual components plays a central role in the design of their products. Osram's new infrared-LEDs (IREDs) SFH 4170S and SFH 4180S meet this demand by being the smallest biometric products by the Munich-based high-tech company.

Smartwatches are becoming more and more popular and can do more and more. In contrast to smartphones, where the screen can't seem to be big enough, smart watches focus on being smaller in size. The particularly compact dimensions of the specially developed Oslon P1616 package (1.6 mm x 1.6 mm x 0.85 mm) make the SFH 4170S and SFH 4180S the smallest Osram components for biometric applications. Compared to similar products today, the two IREDs require about 50 percent less space.

Despite the small dimensions, the IREDs uphold an outstanding power of 1150 mW at 1 A and a radiation intensity of 280 mW/sr. These characteristics are particularly important for 2D face recognition (more info).