LG Innotek Wins Edison Award, the Top U.S. Invention Prize, for Two Consecutive Years

'High-Magnification Optical Continuous Zoom Camera Module', Silver Award
Outstanding Optical Camera Technology
Expanding Applications in Vehicles and Robots

LG Innotek has once again proven its technological prowess in the global market by winning the 'Edison Awards' for the second consecutive year following last year.

High-magnification optical continuous zoom camera module product by LG Innotek. Photo by LG Innotek

LG Innotek announced on the 21st that it received this year's Edison Award for its smartphone 'High-Magnification Optical Continuous Zoom Camera Module' (hereinafter referred to as the Optical Continuous Zoom Module), which incorporates world-class optical design technology.

The Edison Awards, held since 1987 to honor the spirit of inventor Thomas Edison, are the most prestigious invention awards in the United States. They are also known as the 'Oscars of Innovation.' Approximately 3,000 judges, including executives and scholars from various U.S. industries, conduct a rigorous evaluation over about seven months to select the winners. Each year, gold, silver, and bronze awards are given in 16 categories. This year’s ceremony was held on the 18th local time in Fort Myers, Florida, USA.

LG Innotek submitted the Optical Continuous Zoom Module and won the silver award in the 'Commercial Technology' category. The Optical Continuous Zoom Module, first commercialized worldwide by LG Innotek in 2022, is characterized by enabling high-resolution shooting across all zoom ranges from 3x to 5x with just a single module installed in a smartphone.

This was made possible by LG Innotek’s unique precision control technology applied to the Zoom Actuator. The zoom actuator is a core component of the camera module that moves multiple lenses quickly and accurately to focus the lens. Since higher magnification requires longer lens driving distances, precise control of the driving distance is crucial. LG Innotek’s zoom actuator operates with micrometer (㎛, one-millionth of a meter) precision to deliver clear and sharp image quality.

Since the first mass production of the Optical Continuous Zoom Module, LG Innotek has continuously enhanced its specifications. In the second half of 2022, it succeeded in developing a continuous zoom capable of optical shooting in the high magnification range of 4x to 9x. This product also earned LG Innotek an Innovation Award at CES 2023 in January.

Optical zoom works by physically moving the lens to magnify the subject and capture high-resolution images. Previously, multiple fixed-zoom modules, each operating at a specific magnification, had to be installed to properly implement optical zoom. Due to limited space inside smartphones, optical zoom had been mainly applied to larger professional cameras such as DSLRs. However, with LG Innotek’s success in developing the Optical Continuous Zoom Module in 2021, an era began where DSLR-level high-resolution optical shooting became possible on smartphones.

An LG Innotek official said, "Customers using LG Innotek products can secure additional internal space in smartphones and improve battery efficiency." Executive Vice President and CTO Seungwon Noh stated, "Through this award, LG Innotek has once again demonstrated its unparalleled technological capabilities accumulated in the camera module field to the global market. We will continue to provide differentiated customer value by expanding the application of the Optical Continuous Zoom Module to various fields such as vehicles and robots."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.