Voyant Photonics launch its CARBON FMCW LiDAR sensor

“This low-cost 4D LiDAR sensor was developed to revolutionise machine perception capabilities in industrial, robotics and security applications.”

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Voyant Photonics has announced the availability of its CARBON FMCW LiDAR sensor. The solution is focused on providing users with an affordable LiDAR on a chip with solid-state beam steering. The silicon photonic chip is fingernail-sized and provides high-resolution, enhanced precision, object detection, and static/dynamic segmentation up to 200m capabilities.

In order to achieve its affordability goals for this solution, Voyant Photonics integrated optics on a LiDAR photonic integrated circuit (PIC). Users who adopt this solution may see improvements in machine perception capabilities in industrial, robotics, and security applications.

Key features of the CARBON FMCW LiDAR sensor:

  • Utilises Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology which enables instant velocity at each point on top of traditional distance, intensity, and reflectivity measurement, providing 4D capabilities.
  • Instant velocity enables vehicle ego-positioning abilities.
  • Camera-level resolution with native 128 lines per frame.
  • Ability to detect and track moving objects up to 200m away.
  • Operational in dust, fog, rain, and snow conditions with the solution also immune to sunlight interference particularly at sunrise and sunset.
  • Invulnerable to highly reflective objects.
  • Features IP67 dust and water protection as well as strong shock and vibration endurance.
  • Weighs only 250g.

The CARBON FMCW LiDAR sensor boasts a field of view of 45° vertical and 90° horizontal, as well as the maximum detectable radial velocity of 63 m/s (140 mph). Users can modify the frame rate and adjust the field of view while operational with the solution’s software-defined LiDAR (SDL).