Sense Photonics, the automotive flash Lidar solutions provider, announced they have developed a system which delivers high resolution long-range capability and a mid-range capability with a wider field-of-view (FoV) simultaneously in a single shot using a single sensor.
Sense’s new MultiRange™ capability allows a vehicle to detect the road profile, road debris, and lane markings at long distances and also detect traffic in adjacent lanes without requiring multiple sensor heads.
“A comprehensive lidar solution in vehicles must be able to detect objects up to 200 meters directly ahead, while also being aware of cars changing lanes within 50 meters in front of the vehicle,” explained Hod Finkelstein, Sense’s CTO. “Legacy lidar systems can either deliver long range capabilities with fine angular resolution or mid-range imaging with a broad field-of-view, thus requiring OEMs to integrate multiple systems in the vehicle for complete coverage. These legacy solutions increase the overall system cost, complexity, and power consumption. With our unique flash architecture, we can deliver multiple fields of view with stunning clarity, efficiently and without data gaps — with a single sensor, a capability we call MultiRange,” stated Finkelstein.
Sense has been able to accomplish MultiRange performance by a combination of its proprietary VCSEL laser array, which houses tens of thousands of lasers on a single substrate, paired with its proprietary CMOS SPAD silicon receiver, which can detect single-photon-level detail with every return. Similar to a car’s headlights, Sense’s emitter technology uses a diffused beam to simultaneously illuminate the entire FoV. Global shutter acquisition allows for a consistently high-resolution point cloud across the FoV without motion artifacts.
MultiRange capability is currently being tested by leading automotive OEMs and autonomous vehicle solutions providers. “Automotive companies expect high-performance systems but at a price that will scale,” stated Sense CEO Shauna McIntyre. “By delivering ultra-high resolution point clouds across multiple fields of view with a single sensor, we allow companies a comprehensive solution for both short and long-range sensor needs at a fraction of the cost,” explained McIntyre.
“MultiRange is just one of the features that we will be highlighting in our upcoming platform announcement – news that will signal a paradigm shift in the lidar industry,” stated McIntyre. “We are eager to share our plan to democratize 3D vision for a safer, greener, and more productive world.”
