Mobile Optics Developer Lumenuity Emerges from Stealth with Qualcomm Collaboration

Lumenuity, a mobile optics startup, has received $1.2 million in seed funding round and announced a collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies. Lumenuity’s "Light Unfolding" technology significantly boosts the zoom capabilities of mobile device cameras, such as those found in smartphones, bringing them up to par with the performance of digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras, according to the company.

Benjamin Shapiro, co-founder and CEO of Lumenuity, said that the solution aims to virtually eliminate the need for bulky, high-end cameras. Currently, smartphones rely on separate cameras for primary, wide-angle, and zoom functions. Lumenuity's optical system, the company said, can deliver the performance of two cameras in one, streamlining design and reducing production costs.

Its partnership with Qualcomm will focus on optimizing the company’s technologies for use on smartphones that contain the latest Snapdragon mobile platforms.

“Lumenuity's technology allows higher-performance optics in a more efficient form factor,” said Judd Heape, vice president of product management at Qualcomm. “Qualcomm will be able to support phone makers that will be implementing this new technology on the Snapdragon platform, by providing complimentary advanced image processing and AI features to further increase image quality.”

Lumenuity has developed prototypes that deliver double the zoom capability of existing smartphone cameras, while maintaining industry-standard size and form.

In addition to Qualcomm, Lumenuity said it has been collaborating with DXOMARK to refine and validate its technology.