Osram is expanding its photonics portfolio by adding two infrared LEDs for biometric identification in smartwatches.

The new infrared LEDs of Osram, SFH 4170S and SFH 4180S, are designed to meet the requirement of smart wearable products with their compact size. The 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.

(Image: Osram)

Despite the small dimensions, the IREDs uphold a power of 1150 mW at 1 A and a radiation intensity of 280 mW/sr for 2D face recognition. This identification method focuses on two-dimensional features of the user's face, for example, the length of the bridge of the nose, the distance between the eyes or the distance from corner to corner of the mouth. In order to reliably compare the image stored in the system with the current picture, the infrared camera must be able to capture the best possible images – making homogeneous illumination of the face with an infrared light source a central aspect of this application.

"Biometric identification will become an increasingly important part of our lives in the future," explained Arne Fleißner, Product Manager at Osram Opto Semiconductors. "With our two new IREDs, we are making space-saving integration into our customers' end devices much easier and are thus also helping to protect users' sensitive data.”