That's made possible by the fact that the chip itself can process images and can instantly tell the machine what it's seeing -- there's no need to send the images over to a separate computer for processing. In the video above, for instance, you'll see the system identifying different currencies at a glance, tracking different fingers individually as they move and inspecting items without having to stop the conveyor belt for a closer look.

Once it makes its way to actual factories, the sensor could instantly identify malfunctions that would've affected production. It could also prevent accidents and get rid of machines' limitations. The best thing about it, though, is that it's not just a concept waiting to be manufactured. Sony will begin shipping samples to potential customers in October 2017.