News
Events
VideoEric R. Fossum
Professor of Engineering
Faculty Coordinator, Ph.D. Innovation Program
Overview
Professor Fossum is one of the world's experts in solid-state image sensors. He invented the CMOS active pixel image sensor used in almost all cell-phone cameras, webcams, many digital-still cameras and in medical imaging, among other applications. He worked at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory and was CEO of two successful high tech companies and is a serial entrepreneur. See his personal webpage for more information. His interests at Dartmouth are teaching and researching the next generation of solid-state image sensors for gigapixel cameras and for 3D image capture. He also coordinates Thayer School’s Ph.D. Innovation Program.
Education
- B.S., Physics and Engineering, Trinity College 1979
- M.S., Engineering and Applied Science (AP), Yale University 1980
- Ph.D., Engineering and Applied Science (EE), Yale University 1984
Research Interests
Solid-state image sensors (CCDs, CMOS active pixel sensors, Quanta Image Sensors); advanced imaging systems; on-chip image processing; new applications for image sensors
Current Research Projects
Teaching
- ENGS 60: Introduction to Solid-State Electronic Devices
- ENGS 61: Intermediate Electrical Circuits
- ENGG 321: Introduction to Innovation
Selected Publications
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CMOS active pixel image sensors for highly integrated imaging systems (PDF), IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, vol. 32(2) pp. 187-197 (1997). -
Digital Camera System-On-A-Chip (PDF), IEEE Micro, vol. 18(3), pp 8-15, May/June (1998).
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A high dynamic range CMOS APS image sensor (PDF), Proc. 2001 IEEE Workshop on CCDs and Advanced Image Sensors, Lake Tahoe, NV, June 2001.
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Charge transfer noise and lag in CMOS active pixel sensors (PDF), Proc. of 2003 IEEE Workshop on Charge-Coupled Devices and Advanced Image Sensors, Schloss Elmau, Bavaria, Germany May 2003.
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A 1.25-inch 60-frame/s 8.3M-pixel digital output CMOS image sensor (PDF), IEEE J. Solid State Circuits, vol. 40(11) pp. 2305-2314 November 2005.
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The Quanta Image Sensor (QIS): Concepts and Challenges (PDF), in Proc. 2011 Opt. Soc. Am. Topical Meeting on Computational Optical Sensing and Imaging, Toronto, Canada July 10-14, 2011.
Awards
- National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Member, 2013
- National Academy of Inventors® (NAI) Charter Fellow, 2012
- National Inventors Hall of Fame, 2011
- Inventor of the Year, New York Intellectual Property Law Association, 2010
- IEEE Andrew S. Grove Award, 2009
- Royal Photographic Society Progress Medal, 2004
- Trinity College Alumni Achievement Award, 2004
- Photographic Society of America Progress Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Photography, 2003
- NASA/DoD Space Technology Hall of Fame, 1999
- Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), 1998
- NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal, 1996
- JPL Lew Allen Award for Excellence, 1992
- Analog Devices Career Development Award, 1988-1990
- National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award, 1986-1990
- IBM Faculty Development Award, 1984-1985
- Yale University Henry Prentiss Becton Prize for Excellence in Engineering and Applied Science, 1984
Selected Patents
- 144 Issued U.S. Patents (See full list)
Entrepreneurship
- Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board, Photobit Corporation
- Founder and General Partner, Winnibit LP
- Founding Member, Active Pixel Associates, LLC
- Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Siimpel Corporation
- Co-Founder, Fovius Corporation
Professional Activities
- President, International Image Sensor Society (IISS)
- Member, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE, Fellow)
- Member, Optical Society of America (OSA)
- Member, Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE)
News
Dartmouth Professor Eric Fossum Elected to National Academy of Engineering
Dartmouth Now
February 8, 2013Dartmouth Engineering Professor Named National Academy of Inventors Charter Fellow
December 18, 2012Investigator Spotlights
Dartmouth Now
June 5, 20122012 Image Sensors Conference to Showcase Latest Developments in 3D Imaging Technology
AZoSensors
March 12, 2012MicroStrain partners with Dartmouth
Burlington Free Press
September 29, 2011NSF’s Partnerships for Innovations connects engineering PhDs with small business
September 21, 2011You’ve Never Heard of Them, but They’ve Changed Your Life
Forbes
May 5, 2011National Inventors Hall Of Fame Honors 2011 Inductees
invent.org
May 4, 2011Dartmouth professor joins Inventor Hall of Fame
Nashua Telegraph
March 4, 2011Dartmouth inventor of phone camera to be honored
New Hampshire Business Review (NHBR)
March 4, 2011Meet the 2011 National Inventors Hall of Fame Inductees
invent.org
March 3, 2011Baby boomer inventions that changed the world
Reuters
December 30, 2010
In Dartmouth Engineer Magazine
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Kudos
Winter 2013 -
Kudos
Summer 2012 -
Inventions: CMOS Image Sensor
Summer 2011 -
Cummings and Goings: New and Departing Profs
Summer 2010
Video
Professor Fossum describes his research and teaching at Dartmouth
Seminar: The Science and Technology of Digital Image Sensors
Seminar: Image Sensors for Digital Cameras