The founder members of the Standard Mobile Imaging Architecture (SMIA) forum, Nokia and STMicroelectronics, have selected RFI Global Services as the first fully qualified SMIA Approved Laboratory to independently test compliance of camera modules. As a result, RFI has launched its handset camera module test services to the global market.
To meet the forecast demand for quality cost-effective camera mobiles, it is seen as vital for both the handset developers and the camera module suppliers to have a standard set of tests, to speed development and minimize cost. The SMIA standard is an open standard, which ensures that any SMIA-compliant sensor will connect to any SMIA-compliant host system with matching capabilities and get a working camera phone with acceptable performance. The SMIA forum was co-founded by Nokia and STMicroelectronics in July 2004 and since then has grown to currently encompass around 500 members.
As a developer of the SMIA standards, Nokia will be purchasing SMIA-compliant camera modules for its mainstream camera phone range, which is a huge incentive for manufacturers to adopt the new SMIA standard. Manufacturers currently developing SMIA products include STMicroelectronics, Micron, Omnivision, Magnachip and Toshiba.
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