Delivering a Revolutionary Imaging System for Major Autonomous Vehicle Advancements

Epilog Imaging Systems, Inc. is poised to revolutionize autonomous vision with advanced 8K panoramic capabilities. The San Jose, Ca., based startup’s breakthrough technology, called Quantum Definition,
is a patented imaging system that fuses multiple image sensors into one virtual unit capable of surpassing the resolution of the human eye.

“Our mission is to match human vision quality for machines,” explains Michael Mojaver, CEO for Epilog. “This is especially important in autonomous vehicles, where you have the problem of being able to identify objects on the road at distance and all around you.”

So far, automakers have placed multiple 4K or HD cameras around a car to improve visibility. In some cases, they have stitched together up to 20 video cameras to aggregate multiple HD or 4K video streams.

Another overarching consideration is cost as the high-end cameras used for Hollywood movies  and military satellites typically cost tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. “The automotive world is highly cost sensitive,” says Marc Munford, vice president of business development for Epilog. “We expect to bring our imaging technology to market in the autonomous vehicle space at the hundreds of dollars price point.”

Driving Next-Gen Video Innovations

Epilog’s breakthrough technology emerged from years of video imaging experience and powerful software that transforms video cameras into smart edge-compute devices with a super high-resolution
lens capable of delivering 8K panoramic images. To bring this innovation to market, however, Epilog needed to integrate advanced optics, superior image sensors, trustworthy electronics, innovative software, adaptable packaging and ample computer power.

The autonomous vehicle environment also required a high-quality, ruggedized precision video imaging solution that can scale to millions of cars, as well as work in all kinds of weather and different light conditions. “That’s a very difficult order to fulfill,” says Munford. “There is no blueprint to follow here. It requires true out-of-the-box thinking and world-class sourcing skills.”

Fortunately, a trip to Jabil’s San Jose Blue Sky Innovation Center put the wheels in motion for an ideal partnership. Jabil’s active alignment capability, which is used to dynamically tune camera optics, delivered the first of many “Ah-Ha” moments during the initial visit. Jabil’s acknowledged manufacturing, supply chain and product design expertise also gave the Epilog team confidence in how
the two companies could work together.

“When we looked, in particular, at the optics area, Jabil is No. 1 in the world, so they were the  perfect partner for us,” notes Mojaver. The Jabil team was equally excited about the prospect of taking Epilog’s disruptive, innovative idea and turning it into a ground-breaking product.

“To do that we leveraged our vertical capabilities in process development, optics design, electro-mechanical design and electronics as well as support from other core groups, such as quality and our supply chain and procurement teams,” recalls Yovav Ofri, business unit manager for Jabil.

Jabil’s Intelligent Digital Supply Chain Speeds Product Delivery

To accelerate product development and delivery, Jabil designed the electronics, mechanicals and optics. “The electronics were particularly challenging,” comments Mojaver. “We have GHz speed, circuitry, multiple processors and a lot of high-speed design work. Jabil did an excellent job. Everything worked the first time, so we were able to get to market quickly.”

Epilog also  took  advantage of Jabil’s global supply chain, including more than 27,000 strong supplier  relationships, to transform its own supply chain ecosystem. By moving supply chain management to Jabil, Epilog immediately benefited from a cadre of optimization solutions, including deep sourcing, negotiation analytics, automated procurement, streamlined compliant processes and end-to-end supply chain visibility.

Moreover, Jabil’s intelligent digital supply chain capabilities proved instrumental in helping Epilog reduce cost and risk. Teams of quality assurance engineers tested each working prototype in nearly every possible scenario of possible conditions and circumstance. The result: An industrial-strength video camera that delivers high-speed HDR, 8K+ panoramic video using a single lens, produced at very low cost.