MIT's new lidar chip could expand autonomous vehicles' view
Smaller and more durable lidar sensors enhance autonomous vehicle performance.
1What is lidar technology?
Lidar uses pulses of infrared light to calculate distances and create detailed 3D maps of the environment. This technology enables autonomous vehicles to detect objects in their path and respond quickly. However, traditional lidar sensors are often large and expensive.
2Limitations of traditional lidar
Current lidar systems have moving parts that can wear out over time. This makes it difficult to use the systems in a wider range of applications. Additionally, silicon-photonics-based systems typically have a narrow field of view.
3MIT's solution
MIT researchers have developed smaller, more durable lidar sensors that operate without any moving parts. This solution uses an array of integrated antennas to greatly reduce unwanted signal interference.
4Advantages of the silicon-photonics chip
The new silicon-photonics chip controls light instead of electrical signals. This technology allows lidar systems to scan across a broader field of view while producing less noise than other methods.
5Application areas
This advancement could support the development of more capable lidar sensors for challenging uses, including autonomous vehicle navigation, aerial mapping, and construction site monitoring.
6Research team and publication
The study was led by Jelena Notaros from MIT's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. The research was published in Nature Communications.
7Future impacts
This innovation solves a fundamental problem for integrated optical-phased-array technology, enabling future lidar sensors to achieve significantly higher performance than previously possible.