Canon will begin mass-producing an image sensor that can take quality, colour photographs in pitch black darkness next year.
This technology is a huge leap towards the development of augmented reality and automated driving.
According to Canon, the sensor can recognise light at one-tenth the brightness of conventional sensors, with 3.2 million pixels in the sensor. It can recognise light returning in less than a nanosecond, picking up clear images unable to be seen with the naked eye.
Canon will invest A$262 million to build a new image sensor plant in Hiratsuka to mass produce the sensor.