Winner of Luminate NY 2023

Oculi is revolutionizing machine and computer vision intelligence

The OCULI SPU chip is faster than the human eye

and more efficient than all alternate technologies
“The need for machine vision is holding the world back from the next revolution in technology.”

Dr. Charbel Rizk, Oculi founder & CEO

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ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Oculi is putting the “eye” in AI by revolutionizing machine and computer vision intelligence with a single-chip vision sensor that is faster than the human eye and more efficient than all alternate technologies.

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“The need for machine vision is what has been holding the world back from the next revolution in technology,” said Dr. Charbel Rizk, founder and CEO of Oculi. “We have image sensors but not vision sensors in automation. For decades innovators have worked to solve the problems of latency and inaccuracies associated with image sensors. Oculi is solving the problem with the first sensor optimized for machine and computer vision.”

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The disruptive technology is the OCULI SPU (Sensing & Processing Unit), a programmable chip that mimics the human eye in selectivity and parallel processing, with relevant information obtained efficiently in time, energy, and expense and with privacy at the source. The processing occurs in the chip, delivering only the desired data and no need for an additional processor.

OCULI SPU is the world’s first, smart programmable vision sensor at the pixel level and enables dynamic optimization for many applications, transforming smart devices across the home, office, industry, IoT, automotive market, and AR/VR. Real-time optimization via software allows the same hardware product to be used for many verticals.

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Oculi was awarded the “Company of the Year” $1 million grand prize in September 2023 by Luminate NY, the world’s largest optics and photonics accelerator, for creating this architecture for machine and computer vision intelligence. Oculi is relocating its headquarters to Rochester, N.Y., the home of Luminate and a national Tech Hub for optics, photonics, and imaging. Oculi also was named the People’s Choice winner in the 2023 One Valley Pitch and earned the Audience Choice Award at the 2022 Vision Tank Startup Competition.

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Vision sensors vs. image sensors

Image sensors reconstruct images for human consumption but the image-capture is inefficient and limiting for computer and machine vision. The challenge has long existed for image sensors to deliver optimal information free of distortion, background noise, insufficient storage, and improper techniques. Transmitting a tremendous amount of data from image sensors leads to latency, immense energy waste, blurring, and inaccurate signal information.​

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Plus, since image sensors continuously transmit data and much of it is irrelevant, the majority of pixels in an image captured by a camera is redundant and not needed. The need to process all the pixel information has kept this technology from emerging until Oculi created this vision sensor solution at the pixel level.

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Oculi’s solution is needed for present and future technology uses, with AR and VR driving demand for real-time visual intelligence at the edge. As the world of automation grows exponentially and the demand for visual intelligence at the edge skyrockets, efficient vision technology becomes even more critical to safety (reducing latency) and to conserving energy.​

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Since OCULI SPU processes only actionable data, data-deluge and energy-waste problems are also solved. Data centers are consuming massive amounts of energy, at a time when the world is being forced to move in the direction of energy savings.

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OCULI SPU can be used for people/presence/face detection and behavior, low-latency gesture, and eye tracking, provided at a fraction of the cost of related products and with privacy protection. With Oculi vision, customers and partners can deliver a natural and immersive user experience under any lighting conditions, indoors and outdoors, with up to 30x reduction in power consumption and latency with a lower bill of materials.

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“Since we only have had image sensors, we have been constrained in our thinking of what’s available,” Rizk said. “In developing Oculi’s technology, I looked at the big picture from a systems-engineering standpoint, to solve decades-long challenges and address future needs and opportunities related to machine vision.”

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The Oculi team is offering demonstrations at CES 2024 at

Venetian Expo/Hall G (Eureka Hall) at Booth #61432.