60GHz FMCW Radar Vision sensors for a range of object detection, robotics, and industrial applications.
RadarIQ-M1 VISION Sensor
RadarIQ-M1 Features
60GHz FMCW technology
FMCW (frequency modulated continuous wave) radar is a type of radar which can detect the distance, speed, and position of multiple objects in 3D space simultaneously. 60GHz radar, also known as mmWave radar is a modern radar band which has a much higher distance resolution than previous generations of radar technology.
Adjustable field of view
The RadarIQ-M1 sensor has a native 110 degree field of view in the azimuth (horizontal) direction. This can be limited by software using the provided controller software or SDK. The distance range can also be configured between 0 and 10m.
Point Cloud and Object Tracking
The RadarIQ-M1 sensor comes with two separate software applications build in.
The point cloud application provides representations of objects using a sparse point cloud. This is great for object detection and allows the most flexibility for custom applications.
The object tracking application adds another layer of processing on top of the point cloud data to provide single object representations along with the objects coordinates in 3D space and velocities.
Scene calibration
Scene calibration refers to a calibration you can do to perform a kind of 'background subtraction' of near objects. This removes the effect of enclosures or nearby equipment which may cause unwanted detections.
To filter to just moving objects, a separate filter can be applied to remove any objects with no velocity' from the dataset.
Environmental immunity
The RadarIQ-M1 sensor is robust against wind, fog, steam, and temperature changes. This makes it ideal for applications where robustness against environmental conditions is a necessity.
See through walls
The High frequency radar waves are able to see right through some materials such as drywall, glass or plastic enclosures. This feature can be used to conceal the sensor or to place it inside a separate enclosure.
Radar Vision Applications
Robotics (Robotic Vision)
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
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.
Object detection and avoidance
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.
Presence detection
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
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.
RadarIQ-M1 Sensor
FMCW radar sensor for accurately detecting objects in 3D space. This sensor uses the latest in 60GHz FMCW radar technology to detect multiple objects simultaneously. The sensor measures the X, Y, and Z coordinates of objects as well as their instantaneous velocity. The sensor can see through materials such as plastic, glass, or drywall making it easy to conceal.