This alternative to time-of-flight LiDAR has unique complexities and distinct attributes. When engineers hear the phrase LiDAR, an acronym for Light Detection and Ranging, they generally think of time-of-flight (ToF) systems. ToF LiDAR is widely used in automotive and robotic applications to “see” surroundings and obstacles. But there is another, radically different LiDAR approach: frequency […]
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How can you choose, use, and trust a piezoelectric accelerometer?
Dynamic vibration measurements are critical in many applications, from military to automotive/trucks and machinery, as well as critical manufacturing sites, such as semiconductor wafer fabrication (fabs), and even to detect/monitor seismic events. Piezoelectric accelerometers are one of the sensor types frequently used for these measurements. Parameters for specifying piezoelectric accelerometers include response type (AC or […]
What is multimodal sensing in physical AI?
Multimodal sensing in physical AI (PAI), sometimes called embodied AI, is the ability for AI to fuse diverse sensory inputs, like vision, audio, touch, lidar, text, and more, from its environment to build a richer and more complete situation awareness, enabling complex physical interaction, perception, and autonomous action in the real world. A key application […]
What are the latest advances in radar and LiDAR technologies for sensor fusion: part 3
In addition to improved performance from individual sensing technologies, including radar and light detection and ranging (LiDAR), other ongoing advances for sensor fusion are required for more complex advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and to achieve the highest levels of autonomous driving (AD). Future trends in other technologies for sensor fusion Ongoing advances to improve sensor […]
What are the latest advances in radar and LiDAR technologies for sensor fusion: part 2
In contrast to the widespread use of radar sensing, automotive applications for light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensors are much more limited. This is due in part to their bulky size (especially electromechanical LiDAR) and high cost. Similar to radar designs, except that LiDAR uses lasers instead of radio waves for detection and ranging, it […]
What are the latest advances in radar and LiDAR technologies for sensor fusion: part 1
Through sensor fusion, the combined benefits of radar and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) sensing are being implemented in each new generation of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Improvements in these sensing technologies will provide improved performance for future applications. However, they will also require advancements in cameras and other system aspects, including inertial measurement […]
How can designers evaluate and benchmark sensor fusion systems for autonomous machines?
It is always good to remember or be reminded that “If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it,” as Lord Kelvin observed. This is certainly true for today’s newest design approaches, such as sensor fusion. For safety-critical and highly regulated situations such as advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) and automated driving (AD), key performance […]
What are the design challenges when using SPAD sensors?
Single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) sensors are emerging on the market and are being used in automotive, medical, and industrial applications requiring extremely high sensitivity, precise timing, and 3D imaging capabilities, often in low-light conditions. Design challenges include managing dead time, suppressing noise sources like afterpulsing and dark counts, mitigating optical crosstalk, and achieving high photon […]
What are the key considerations for integrating lidar and radar data for robust perception: part 2
Practical techniques for improving sensor fusion accuracy In addition to the usual design techniques for improving sensor performance such as (1) calibration to correct errors including multi-point calibration for higher accuracy, and regular recalibration to correct for drift over time; (2) signal conditioning to correct for errors like offset and linearity, amplified signals for improved signal-to-noise […]
Key considerations for integrating LiDAR and radar data for robust perception: part 1
For autonomous vehicle (AV) applications, both radar and LiDAR (light detection and ranging) are often used in addition to high-definition cameras and other sensors. The proper fusion of the output from these devices enables the detection of obstacles, identification of lane markings, and the accurate recognition of other vehicles and pedestrians. The radio waves (typically […]
