Merrill (1949-2008) was a brilliant engineer, talented photographer and Foveon co-founder. "This revolutionary image capture system reflects both the artistic and technological sides of Merrill’s personality," said Kazuto Yamaki, CEO of Sigma Corporation. "As an expression of Sigma’s passion for photography and in honor of Dick Merrill’s genius, we have named the latest generation of the Foveon X3 Direct Image Sensor the Foveon Merrill."
Sigma blog post re-captures the Foveon and Dick's Merrill history. Shri Ramaswami, General Manager of Foveon, recalls Dick Merrill as a man of vision and passion: "Dick had an excellent grasp of semiconductor technology, combined that with a newly ignited passion for imaging and built an entirely new, breakthrough imaging system. He took a personal stake in making Foveon X3 image sensor technology a reality, seeing an opportunity to make something truly unique and special. He possessed a rare combination of passion and genius that drove him to move from theory, to prototype, to product."
