CSEM Inventor Award granted to spaceCoder

Shedding Light on Precision: CSEM spaceCoder technology is a game changer in the field of precision measurement

In the realm of scientific innovation, where light illuminates, shadows also cast opportunities for advancement. Researchers at CSEM (Centre Suisse d’Electronique et de Microtechnique) have ingeniously harnessed this principle with their groundbreaking “spaceCoder” technology, heralding a new era of precision measurement.

At its core, spaceCoder comprises a sophisticated system featuring specialized algorithms and an optical sensor designed to detect light passing through a custom-made shadow mask. When an object intercepts the sensor’s path, the system adeptly calculates the position of a light source in space based on the resultant shadows. This groundbreaking approach facilitates the precise measurement of illuminated objects, operating at an astonishingly minute scale—nano-scale precision at one thousandth of a thousandth of a millimeter, to be exact.

CSEM researchers Eric Grenet and Edoardo Franzi secured the patent for the technology in 2010. SpaceCoder has since undergone significant evolution and refinement under the guidance of Andrea Dunbar, Business Developer for Data and AI at CSEM, and Grenet’s continued involvement. The sensor has been miniaturized to the size of a sugar cube, boasting unparalleled precision, reliability, and cost-effectiveness, all without the need for expensive optical lenses.

The versatility of spaceCoder extends across various industries, offering a wealth of potential applications. Already, the technology has made significant strides in precision machinery and MedTech, where its capabilities have been harnessed for groundbreaking purposes.

One such application lies in the realm of orthopedic surgery, where the sensor’s ability to accurately measure a patient’s knee before surgery proves invaluable for custom-fitting artificial knee joints. Looking ahead, spaceCoder holds promise for revolutionizing minimally invasive surgeries by enabling real-time tracking of robot-controlled instruments in three-dimensional space, thereby enhancing surgical precision to unprecedented levels. Moreover, the technology harbors the potential to transform the railway industry, offering flawless track alignment checks with remarkable efficiency.

The economic ramifications of spaceCoder’s advancements are profound, with potential market value estimated in the billions of Swiss Francs across various sectors and applications.

Source: Press Release
📸 ©CSEM – Eric Grenet (left) and Edoardo Franzi (right)