ToF (Time of Flight method), as a relatively mature technology in 3D visual perception scheme, has attracted wide attention because of its simple calculation, low computing load, high frame rate, large working distance range and other characteristics, and has been rapidly developed in just a few years. As early as 2016, Weigen Technology team began the application research of ToF perception technology, and is the first group of teams engaged in TOF perception technology in China. After nearly 6 years of professional technology accumulation in the field of TOF perception, Weiguan Technology has achieved batch shipment of a number of TOF depth camera products, and also developed customized products and software together with customers, and provided high-quality services.

Behind success, it has always been persistence and effort

Many people will have a question when they first come into contact with Weigen. Weigen Technology was founded in 2020, but its technical reserves and sales performance are not like a company that has only been established for two years. When China Machine Vision network reporter asked this question, Yang Hongtao, CEO of Qingdao Weiguan Technology Co., LTD., explained: “Although the company was established only two years ago, the company’s core team has been working together for more than 10 years, and the team has long-term service for SONY, Facebook, Huawei, Google, Amazon and other global well-known companies, and has rich resources and experience in the industry.”

As early as 2016, the core team of Weigen started the research of TOF perception technology and market, and is the earliest team engaged in TOF perception technology in China.

In 2017, the team successively released two products, DCAM100 and DCAM710, as well as the corresponding SDK and graphical tools, of which DCAM710 is still in use today, and is widely praised by customers as a pre-evaluation and learning platform. At the same time for domestic and foreign customers customized development of ToF products, of which 6 products into the actual scene application.

In 2018, the team began to design and develop ToF module products for face payment and mass-produced them. It is the first ToF product to be commercialized by facial payment in China.

Since 2019, the team has begun to lay out the industrial market and successively launched three industrial ToF products. At the same time, for vertical scenarios, team layout software and algorithm team building, we have the ability to achieve one-stop solutions in multiple scenarios such as passenger flow statistics, behavior analysis and DWS.

No steps, no even miles; Without small streams, there is no river. In the two years since the establishment of the company, Wei Sense can steadily grasp customers, achieve revenue of tens of millions, and ship more than 10,000 units of performance. This is inseparable from the startup team’s continuous accumulation of product development experience and integration of supply chain resources over the years. Yang Hongtao himself is a technical background, has obtained EMBA from the University of California, Berkeley, a master’s degree in electronic engineering, has served as vice president of Goer Shares, Desin wireless platform director, MOTOROLA product engineer, with more than 20 years of experience in the consumer electronics industry. These overseas study and work experiences have become the most valuable capital for Weigen to go abroad and explore overseas markets.

Focus on 3D machine vision track, focus on ToF technology upgrade

ToF (Time of Flight) ranging technology is to continuously send light pulses to the target, and use the sensor to receive the light returned from the object to detect the flight (round trip) time of the light pulse to get the distance from the target. It has the characteristics of simple calculation, low computing load, high frame rate, large working distance range (0.15-6 meters), stable accuracy (less than 1%), little influence by light changes, and can work in strong light and dark. The principle of this technology seems simple, but the actual need for hardware drivers, optics, algorithms to filter and other levels of technical polishing, its application scenarios are many. In March 2020, the new iPad Pro released by Apple is equipped with 3D dToF technology, which can measure the photons reflected back within 5 meters in a very short time in the nanosecond level (ns, 1ns=1 billionth of a second)