Radar vision adds robustness to robotic systems which require vision capabilities. While radar vision give nowhere near as much detail as a camera, it is hyper reliable and will work in any environmental conditions. Radar vision also gives distance and velocity information which is hard to get from a camera solution.

Sensor fusion is the combining of multiple sensor sources. Sensor fusion is required when information from one sensor is not sufficient to make important decisions. Typically data from cameras and radar are used together to provide the high resolution visual information from a camera along with the distance and velocity information from a radar sensor. The other common use for sensor fusion is to provide backup in the case that the camera is not working (such as when it is dark).

The RadarIQ-M1 sensor has a 110 degree field of view and can detect at distances up to 10m making it ideal for sensor fusion.

Preventing collisions in autonomous or semi-autonomous systems is really important in all sorts of situations, from drones to fruit picking robots, forklifts to farm vehicles. Radar can detect multiple objects simultaneously and determine their trajectory and velocity to enable smart object detection systems to be created.

Knowing when there is someone or something in a specific location is a basic, but important sensing capability. Presence detection can be used in surveillance applications to know when there is unexpected movement in an area. It also has uses in smart facilities management to know when people are in particular areas of building, or in safety applications to enable/disable equipment when there are people or obstacles which are in close proximity.

Tracking the movement of a person or object in space opens up a range of new possibilities. From understanding the movement of vehicles in a traffic management situation through to understanding paths people walk, or to even allow autonomous vehicles to follow a lead vehicle without being tethered. The possibilities are limitless.