Shoji Kawahito

About

Shoji Kawahito is a pioneering figure in the field of CMOS image sensors, with a particular focus on high-performance Time-of-Flight (ToF) range imaging. His research has been instrumental in advancing 3-D imaging systems for applications spanning autonomous vehicles, robotics, and gesture-based interfaces. Kawahito’s most notable contribution is the development of a 413×240-pixel sub-centimeter resolution ToF CMOS image sensor featuring in-pixel background canceling using lateral-electric-field charge modulators—a breakthrough that achieved 20 citations and set a new standard for precision in depth sensing. Earlier, he introduced a QVGA-size ToF sensor with a background light charge draining structure (9 citations), which addressed critical challenges in real-world lighting conditions. Beyond ToF imaging, Kawahito has contributed to dynamically reconfigurable vision-chip architectures for high-speed template matching and CMOS smart rotary encoders for angle detection in compact robotics. His work consistently bridges the gap between advanced sensor design and practical, real-time imaging systems, making him a key innovator in smart vision technology.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   7.4 A 413×240-pixel sub-centimeter resolution Time-of-Flight CMOS image sensor with in-pixel background canceling using lateral-electric-field charge modulators

   20 citations · 2014
2. 2
   A QVGA-size CMOS time-of-flight range image sensor with background light charge draining structure

   9 citations · 2006
3. 3
   Parallel template matching operations on a dynamically reconfigurable vision-chip architecture

   3 citations · 2011
4. 4
   Angle Detection Methods for a CMOS Smart Rotary Encoder

   3 citations · 2005

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links