SUPERvisionary · Project

Flat Optical Lenses That Make 3D Sensors Smaller, Cheaper, and More Accurate

manufacturingPilotedTRL 8

You know how your phone can unlock by recognizing your face, or how self-driving cars "see" obstacles? Those features rely on tiny 3D sensors packed with complex, bulky lens stacks. This project figured out how to replace those chunky lens modules with a single flat lens — think going from a thick magnifying glass to a contact lens. The result is sensors that are smaller, cheaper to mass-produce, and actually perform better, which matters for everything from phones to autonomous vehicles.

By the numbers

400+

customers served globally by NILT

2,270,000

EUR EU contribution

exhibitions/trade shows where DOE components were demonstrated

industry partners across 2 countries

100%

industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

3D sensing components are still too bulky, too expensive, and too limited in accuracy and range for mass-market deployment. Classical multi-lens modules are complex to assemble, hard to miniaturize, and costly at scale — blocking full adoption in automotive, consumer electronics, and industrial automation.

The solution

What was built

NILT built and demonstrated production masters for high-volume replication of flat diffractive optical element (DOE) lenses. They demonstrated replication capability with a lead customer and showcased working DOE components at five exhibitions and trade shows.

Audience

Who needs this

Automotive sensor manufacturers building LIDAR and time-of-flight modulesConsumer electronics companies integrating 3D sensing into smartphonesIndustrial automation firms deploying machine vision systemsMedical device companies using 3D imaging for diagnosticsRobotics companies needing compact depth-sensing cameras

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Automotive & LIDAR

mid-size

Target: LIDAR sensor manufacturer or Tier 1 automotive supplier

If you are a LIDAR manufacturer struggling with bulky, expensive optical assemblies for autonomous driving sensors — this project developed flat diffractive lenses with high-volume replication methods that shrink your optical module to a single element. NILT has already served more than 400 customers globally and demonstrated replication with a lead customer. This means faster production ramp-up and lower per-unit cost for your sensor modules.

Consumer Electronics

enterprise

Target: Smartphone camera or 3D sensing module maker

If you are a mobile device manufacturer needing to fit better 3D sensing into thinner phones — this project built flat optical elements that replace complex lens stacks. The components were demonstrated at five trade shows and validated through production master replication. Smaller optics mean thinner devices with improved face recognition and gesture sensing performance.

Industrial Automation & Machine Vision

SME

Target: Machine vision system integrator or quality inspection provider

If you are a machine vision integrator dealing with limited accuracy and high cost of 3D depth sensors — this project created flat diffractive optical elements that improve sensing performance while cutting size and cost. With production-ready masters demonstrated for high-volume replication, you can source these components at industrial scale for quality inspection, robot guidance, or pick-and-place applications.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this technology cost compared to traditional lens assemblies?

The project does not disclose specific pricing. However, the core value proposition is cost reduction through replacing multi-element lens stacks with a single flat optical element produced via high-volume wafer-level replication. Based on available project data, the replication method is designed specifically for mass-market price points in consumer electronics and automotive.

Can this be produced at industrial scale?

Yes. The project specifically demonstrated production masters for high-volume replication and validated the replication process with a lead customer. NILT has served more than 400 customers globally since 2006, and the project's goal was to scale from mastering services to full design-and-replication services.

What is the IP situation — can I license this technology?

NILT owns the flat diffractive lens technology and replication methods. Based on available project data, NILT offers design, mastering, and replication as industrial services rather than licensing the technology outright. Contact NILT directly to discuss commercial terms for your application.

Which applications has this actually been tested in?

The project targets time-of-flight sensors, LIDAR, mobile phone cameras, 3D sensing, and machine vision. DOE components were demonstrated at five exhibitions and trade shows, and replication was demonstrated with a lead customer. Based on available project data, exact end-applications of the lead customer are not disclosed.

How quickly could we integrate this into our product?

NILT positions itself as a full-service partner covering optical design, master fabrication, and replication. Based on available project data, the production master and replication processes have been demonstrated, meaning the technology is past the development stage. Integration timelines would depend on your specific optical requirements and volumes.

Is this compliant with automotive industry standards?

The project lists autonomous vehicles and LIDAR as key target domains, but specific automotive certifications (e.g., AEC-Q, IATF 16949) are not mentioned in the available project data. These would need to be confirmed directly with NILT for automotive-grade applications.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a lean, fully industrial consortium — 2 SME partners from Denmark and Switzerland with zero academic involvement, which is unusual and signals strong commercial intent. NIL Technology (NILT), the Danish coordinator, has been operating since 2006 and has served more than 400 customers globally, so this is not a startup experiment — it is an established company scaling a proven capability. The 100% industry ratio and SME instrument funding confirm this was designed as a market acceleration project, not a research exercise.

NIL TECHNOLOGY APSCoordinator · DK

How to reach the team

NIL Technology ApS (NILT), based in Denmark. Reach out to their business development team via niltechnology.com.

Order a report on this consortium See NIL TECHNOLOGY APS profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Need flat optics for your 3D sensing product? SciTransfer can connect you with the NILT team and help scope a technical discussion tailored to your application.

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