Macnica SLVS-EC IP Brings Sony’s New IMX742 Sensor to Single-Use Endoscope Designs

SOLANA BEACH, CALIFORNIA, Oct. 25th, 2026 – Macnica Americas today announced that its SLVS-EC interface IP now supports the Sony IMX742, a 1.0 mm x 1.0 mm CMOS image sensor for single-use endoscopes.

Developed in collaboration with Sony, the solution simplifies and accelerates the design of next-generation disposable endoscopes, helping medical device manufacturers address growing demand for safer, higher-performance diagnostic and surgical procedures.

The IMX742 uses Sony’s SLVS-EC high-speed digital interface, which is resistant to noise and allows the sensor to transmit video reliably over long, thin cables. Macnica’s SLVS-EC receiver IP - already used in FPGA-based designs for Sony SLVS-EC sensors - now supports the IMX742 on Altera Agilex 5 and AMD Kintex UltraScale+ FPGAs.

Macnica’s new IMX742 bridge chip design, built on Altera Agilex 5, receives the sensor’s video at the console and converts it to the industry-standard MIPI CSI-2 interface. That lets manufacturers connect the sensor to widely used image processors without designing a custom receiver.

Together, these technologies provide medical device manufacturers with a ready-to-evaluate development platform that reduces engineering complexity, streamlines integration and accelerates time to market for high-performance, high-volume disposable endoscope applications.”

The collaboration comes as healthcare providers increasingly adopt single-use endoscopes to reduce the risk of cross-contamination and infections. According to Grand View Research, the disposable endoscope market is projected to reach $4.9 billion by 2030, growing at a 7.6% compound annual rate. This growth is due to heightened infection control awareness, advances in imaging technology and heighten demand for more efficient medical procedures.

Until now, adoption of single-use endoscopes was driven mainly by infection control. The next phase will be driven by performance. As image quality in disposable scopes improves and cables become longer and thinner, single-use endoscopes can move into true diagnostic use and reach deeper anatomy, including duodenoscopy, colonoscopy and transbronchial procedures in the deep lung.

“Single-use endoscopes have proven their value for infection control. The next step is diagnostic-grade image quality and the reach to go deeper into the body,” said Sebastien Dignard, CEO, Macnica Atlantic. “Sony’s IMX742 makes that possible at the tip of the scope. Macnica Americas has spent more than 10 years building SLVS-EC receivers for FPGAs so endoscope makers can start from a mature foundation instead of designing a new receiver.”

Simplifying Development Through Integrated Technology

Developing high-performance disposable endoscopes requires manufacturers to integrate advanced imaging capabilities into compact, cost-effective designs suitable for high-volume production.

Macnica’s evaluation platform addresses these requirements with a ready-to-use feasibility environment. It pairs the IMX742 with Macnica’s Power and Splitter card, FMC card and optional EQ card, plus a Terasic Atum A5 FPGA board, with MIPI CSI-2 output to a Raspberry Pi 4 host.

Engineering teams can evaluate image quality, cable length and system integration before committing to a custom design. By simplifying the integration of image sensors, FPGA technology and supporting interface components, the platform enables medical device manufacturers to focus more of their engineering resources on product differentiation, clinical performance and patient needs.

Developed in collaboration with Sony and deployed with lead customers, Macnica’s bridge chip and IP simplifies and accelerates the design of next-generation disposable endoscopes, helping medical device manufacturers address growing demand for safer, higher-performance diagnostic and surgical procedures.

This collaboration reflects Macnica’s “Capture, Process, Communicate” approach, which brings together technologies across the imaging signal chain from image capture through processing and connectivity. In this solution, Sony’s sensor captures the image at the tip of the scope, and Macnica IP carries and converts it for processing at the console.
 

Availability
The Macnica IMX742 bridge chip design and evaluation platform will be available for evaluation beginning in November 2026, aligned with IMX742 engineering sample availability. For more information, Visit IMX742

About Macnica Americas and Europe
As the North American division of Macnica Holdings, Inc. (TSE:3132), a $10B global leader headquartered in Yokohama, Japan,[YM1]  Macnica Americas is a global technology solutions company that enables innovation across Robotics, AIoT, Automotive & Mobility, Broadcast & ProAV, and Medical & Healthcare. As the North American division of Macnica Holdings, Inc., a $10B global leader headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, we We combine a robust semiconductor line card, a curated ecosystem of technology partners, and an internal library of proven IP to help customers reduce design risk, accelerate time to market, and achieve true product differentiation. Our component-to-solution model is built on three core pillars: Capture, Process, and Communicate.