Miniature Image Sensor Enables Digital Imaging in Single-Use Endoscopes

Disposable single-use endoscopes are increasingly used to help reduce infection risk and the burden of post-procedure reprocessing and equipment management. As insertion sections become thinner, endoscopic cameras require extremely compact image sensors that can still provide high-quality imaging and stable signal transmission. A new 1 mm-square image sensor now combines on-chip digital output, imaging at 60 frames per second, and stable transmission over a 5-meter cable for single-use endoscope applications.

Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation (Atsugi, Japan) has introduced the IMX742, a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor with approximately 0.51 effective megapixels for medical single-use endoscopes. Announced on October 22, 2026, the device measures 1.00 mm by 1.00 mm, with a 1/17.7-type diagonal of 1.02 mm, and provides 720 by 720 effective pixels. It uses a back-illuminated structure with a 1.00 μm pixel pitch, a Bayer color filter, and a six-pin wafer-level chip-scale package.

The IMX742 digitizes image signals directly on the chip, helping reduce noise compared with analog output and improve visibility in dark intraluminal environments. A proprietary bidirectional communication interface allows control and video signals to travel over the same cable while limiting the sensor to six pins, supporting further system miniaturization. The sensor operates at 30 or 60 frames per second and is designed to maintain stable video transmission over a 5-meter cable, providing greater flexibility in endoscope system configuration.

According to Sony, the IMX742 is the first CMOS image sensor for medical endoscopes to support both digital output and data transmission over a 5-meter cable, based on company research as of October 22, 2026. Potential applications include thin endoscope cameras for devices such as bronchoscopes and ureteroscopes. Sample shipments are planned for November 2026. The IMX742 itself is not a medical device and has not been evaluated or approved for medical applications; it is intended as a component for integration into medical equipment.

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Sony Semiconductor Solutions Corporation