A curved-surface image-sensor assembly has a porous carrier having a concave surface with a thinned image sensor bonded by an adhesive to its concave surface of the porous carrier; the porous carrier is mounted into a water-resistant package. The sensor assembly is made by fabricating a thinned, flexible, image-sensor integrated circuit (IC) and applying adhesive to a non-illuminated side of the IC; positioning the IC over a concave surface of a porous carrier; applying vacuum through the porous carrier to suck the IC onto the concave surface of the porous carrier; and curing the adhesive to bond the IC to the concave surface of the porous carrier.