STMicroelectronics unveils new compact direct Time-of-Flight 3D LiDAR module bringing high-resolution spatial awareness to compact edge AI systems with industry-leading resolution and performance

VL53L9 is the first direct Time-of-Flight (dToF) 3D LiDAR all-in-one module in ST’s portfolio, offering a resolution of 2.3K zones, wide field of view, on-chip processing, 100 frames per second, and sensing range from 5 centimeters to 9 meters.

Designed to meet the evolving needs of customers and partners across diverse industries, including robotics, industrial automation, smart buildings, AR/VR, and healthcare.

STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, today announced the launch of the VL53L9, a compact direct Time-of-Flight 3D LiDAR all-in-one module that sets a new benchmark in high-resolution sensing. The VL53L9 combines state-of-the-art features in a compact and cost-effective package, delivering AI-ready output data for low-compute edge AI systems on small microcontrollers (MCUs) and high-performance sensing across a wide range of applications across robotics, industrial automation, smart buildings, AR/VR, and healthcare.

“VL53L9 demonstrates how far Time-of-Flight sensing has evolved, combining high-resolution depth data, up to 100 frames per second, and a fully integrated architecture in a single compact module. By simplifying integration and reducing system complexity, we enable customers to accelerate the development of applications such as robotics, smart infrastructure, and healthcare monitoring,” said Alexandre Balmefrezol, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Imaging Sub-Group at STMicroelectronics. “This launch reflects our strategy to move beyond standalone sensors and deliver integrated sensing systems that support real-world edge AI.”

“3D sensing demand accelerates across robotics, industrial automation, XR, and intelligent consumer devices. Time-of-Flight technology is expanding beyond smartphones into applications requiring compact, affordable, and precise depth perception, from navigation and people monitoring to gesture recognition and safety. Higher resolution multizone dToF modules are now emerging as key enablers for this next wave of 3D sensing adoption(1),” said Anas Chalak, Market & Technology Analyst at Yole Group.