2020-06-08

New Research Reveals Record Breaking Avalanche Photodiode for Eye-Safe LiDAR

Research team consisting of electrical and computer engineers at the University of Virginia and University of Texas-Austin has developed an avalanche photodiode that achieved record performance that could transform receiver components for LiDAR. The breakthrough was published in Nature Photonics on May 18, 2020, under the title “Low-noise high-temperature AlInAsSb/GaSb avalanche photodiodes for 2-μm applications.” Researchers said the low-noise, 2-μm avalanche photodiode can achieve eye-safe high-power operation. The team used the novel optical ...
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2020-06-04

LiDAR Technology Supports Discovery of Largest and Oldest Maya Structure in Mexico

Apart from assisting autonomous driving technology, LiDAR technology is also helping archaeologists to unveil the long covered structures from ancient times with its penetration feature. A research team recently discovered the largest and oldest Mayan monument via LiDAR technology and published their findings in Nature. The team use LiDAR from an airplane to find the monument under the authorization of the National Institute of Anthropology and History of Mexico. Laser beams penetrate the tree canopy and reveal the three-dimensional forms of archaeological features ...
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2020-06-02

Idriverplus Joins Velodyne Ecosystem

Velodyne Lidar and Idriverplus announced an expanded partnership and Idriverplus inclusion into the Automated with Velodyne integrator ecosystem, which helps companies grow their businesses while using Velodyne’s LiDAR technology. Through the program, Velodyne will further collaborate with Idriverplus to support its continued innovation and promote Idriverplus autonomous vehicles, including street cleaners, passenger cars and logistics vehicles. Recently, Velodyne signed a multi-year sales agreement with Idriverplus to provide Puck™ sensors for the mass prod...
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2020-06-02

LeddarTech and STMicroelectronics Collaborate to Accelerate LiDAR Deployment for ADAS, Autonomous Driving, and Industrial Applications

LeddarTech announced that it is working with STMicroelectronics to create a LiDAR Evaluation Kit. The evaluation kit will demonstrate technical concepts and offer development capabilities in a functional LiDAR for automotive Tier 1-2 suppliers and industrial system integrators to develop a LiDAR solution based on LeddarEngine™ technology. LeddarTech’s kit will include ST’s MEMS mirror-based laser-beam scanning solutions along with technologies, products, and services from other LeddarTech ecosystem partners. The evaluation kit is being...
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2020-05-25

Sensing Technology with LiDAR to Support Post-pandemic Manufacture and Business Operation

As many countries and cities are lifting the COVID-19 restrictions and reopening business, how to continuously prevent the spread of the virus is a critical challenge for all. LEDinside noticed that many sensor technology developers have created solutions to anonymously monitoring people’s activities in public for controlling social distance and checking health status. LiDAR technology, for example, is now used to support people flow management. Hitachi Vantara, the digital infrastructure and solutions subsidiary of Hitachi, is leveraging its technology to deliver a ...
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2020-05-25

Apple Rumored to Launch AR Smart Glasses Featuring LiDAR Sensor in 2021

Rumors of Apple’s smart glasses products have never stopped but now they are even more materialized. Jon Prosser, host of Front Page Tech, unveiled alleged details about the AR glasses that Apple might reveal. It was said that Apple will call its AR glasses “Apple Glass,” which will pair with an iPhone like Apple Watch. There will be displays for both lenses and LiDAR sensors will be adopted to enable gesture interaction. In addition, the glasses will be wireless charged. (Image: screenshot from the video of Front Page Tech) Prosser cl...
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2020-05-21

Korean LiDAR Startup SOS LAB Secure $8 Million Investment

Korea’s LiDAR sensor startup company, SOS LAB, announced that it has secured series A+ investment of a total of US$8 million starting from a lead investment from Korea Development Bank (KDB), bringing the company’s total capital raised so far to US$ 14 million. Despite a decline in general economic activities due to COVID-19, SOS LAB successfully attracted the investment and it has now unveiled its plans for the commercialization of LiDAR. (Image: SOS LAB) SOS LAB disclosed ML-1, the product which mounted the aforemention...
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2020-05-18

Osram and LeddarTech Partner to Work on LiDAR Platform for Automotive Mass Market

Canadian LiDAR technology developer LeddarTech has been working with its investor Osram on the LiDAR platform “PERCEPT.” Osram said that it is developing the first flexible solid state LiDAR focusing on mid to long range sensing and targeting the automotive mass market. (Image: Osram) The PERCEPT LiDAR will comprise Osram’s laser emitters and LeddarTech’s processing software. With these featured components, Osram aims to develop a LiDAR with the measuring approach of ToF. The LiDAR platform will serve long- a...
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2020-05-18

New Study Uses FMCW LiDAR for Long-range 3D Sensing

Researchers at the lab of Tobias Kippenberg at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne found a new way to implement a parallel FMCW LiDAR engine by using integrated nonlinear photonic circuitry. They coupled a single FMCW laser into a silicon-nitride planar microresonator, where the continuous wave laser light is converted into a stable optical pulse train due to the double balance of dispersion, nonlinearity, cavity pumping and loss. The study has been published in Nature. Coherent laser ranging, also known as frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDA...
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2020-05-15

Besides Humans and Cars, LiDAR Technology Also Tracks Mosquito Activity

LiDAR technology has a wide range of applications, from autonomous driving, industrial automation, to the latest people flow control and social distance maintaining. And now, a group of scientists uses the technology to monitor activity of mosquito. An international research team published a study on Science Advances demonstrating its approach to use LiDAR technology to remotely monitor mosquito activity. Through LiDAR technology, they found the “rush hour” of mosquito in a southeastern Tanzanian village and by identifying the most active time of mosquito, it...
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2020-05-14

LeddarTech to Mass Produce its LiDAR Sensor with Clarion Malaysia

LeddarTech, the LiDAR technology supplier from Canada, announced its volume production plan of the LeddarTM Pixell LiDAR Module with Clarion Malaysia, a member of Faurecia Clarion Electronics. (Image: LeddarTech) The Leddar Pixell is based on 3D solid-state flash LiDAR to reach a field-of-view of 180-degree designed and tested for off-road, shuttles, robotaxis, delivery, commercial and heavy industry vehicles in addition to other robotic and automated applications. The Canadian company has proactively strengthened its partnerships with automotive co...
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2020-05-13

Velodyne Announced Sales Agreement with GeoSLAM and Supports 3D Measurement for NavVis VLX Mapping System

U.S.-based LiDAR technology developer Velodyn Lidar recently announced its partnership with two 3D mapping technology solutions providers. Velodyne and GeoSLAM, a UK-based 3D geospatial technology supplier, signed a multi-year sales agreement to use LiDAR sensors in the mobile scanner for 3D mapping. LiDAR sensors from Velodyne enable GeoSLAM systems to achieve data capture of intricate measurements from up to 100 meters away. The mobile scanner can be wide applied for building information modeling (BIM), construction, real estate, surveying and mining...
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2020-05-08

LiDAR to be Adopted in Next-gen Volvo Cars in 2022 for Self-driving

Volvo unveiled its plan to launch its next generation self-driving car in 2022 by integrating LiDAR technology supported by Luminar. Volvo Cars, the Sweden-based company now owned by Geely Holding of China, said that its next generation SPA2 modular vehicle architecture will be available as hardware-ready for autonomous drive from production start in 2022,with the Luminar LiDAR seamlessly integrated into the roof. (Image: Volvo/Luminar) The LiDAR technology of Volvo’ new car is supported by Luminar, a LiDAR startup company aiming to make cost ...
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2020-04-30

Velodyne Lidar to Supply LiDAR Sensors to EasyMile for Autonomous Shuttles

Velodyne Lidar announced a three-year agreement with French autonomous vehicle specialist EasyMile. EasyMile uses Velodyne’s LiDAR sensors in production of its EZ10 autonomous passenger shuttles that are deployed on public and private roads in more than 30 countries around the world. (Image: Velodyne Lidar/EasyMile) EasyMile will enhance its EZ10 shuttle fleet with Velodyne’s sensors for safe and efficient navigation on roadways. Electric and driverless, the EZ10 shuttle was the one of the first autonomous shuttles launched in April 2015. It has...
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2020-04-29

Social Distancing Solutions Supported by LiDAR Technology

LiDAR supplier Quanergy Systems announced the expansion of its Flow Management™ Platform to support solutions that enforce social distancing amid the crisis of COVID-19 pandemic to halt the spread of disease. These solutions will assist businesses and public entities around the world in returning to work while keeping people safe. Quanergy’s Flow Management Platform combining 3D LiDAR sensors and AI-powered QORTEX™ Perception Software enables the development of social distancing solutions to anonymously and accurately track and analyze t...
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2020-04-24

Velodyne’s LiDAR Sensors to Support Efficient Autonomous Baggage Transport

Velodyne Lidar announced its partnership with ground support equipment provider TLD. The two companies signed a three-year agreement that TLD will LiDAR sensors from Velodyne for manufacture its TractEasy autonomous electric baggage tractor for airport and industrial operation. (Image: Velodyne/TLD) TLD will grow its TractEasy tractor fleet with Velodyne’s sensors for safe and efficient navigation on roadways in a variety of weather conditions. TractEasy is a zero-emission tow tractor that transfers baggage and freight from airport terminals to aircra...
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2020-04-23

LiDAR Technology Monitors Crowd Density and Maintains Safe Distance in Public Facilities during COVID-19 Crisis

LiDAR sensing technology is now commonly known as a solution for automotive driving and ADAS system, but the technology also leverage its edges in a time of the COVID-19 crisis. An indoor motion analysis software developer, iinsider, released SafeDistance, a free upgrade to its LiDAR-powered solution for monitoring and analyzing crowd density in public spaces. The software utilizes LiDAR sensors and 3D perception software from Quanergy to help airport, venue and facility managers monitor and mitigate crowding and congestion, and maintain safe distancing within t...
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2020-04-22

LeddarTech Announces Partnership with Sunny Automotive Optech to Expand LiDAR Deployment

LeddarTech reported that it has partnered with Sunny Automotive Optech, a Chinese optical component maker, for creating LiDAR solutions for automotive and mobility applications. The Sunny Automotive Optech will provide optical solutions for LiDAR development as a member of the Leddar Ecosystem, LeddarTech and Sunny Automotive Optech will initiate this collaboration on front and cocoon LiDAR optics designs, based on the LeddarEngine™. The LeddarEngine is comprised of the LeddarCore™ LCA3 system-on-chip and LeddarSP™ signal proce...
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2020-04-21

Photon-counting Camera based on SPADs to Capture 3D Images in High Speed, Enabling Advanced AR or LiDAR Systems

Researchers have developed the first megapixel photon-counting camera based on new-generation image sensor technology that uses single-photon avalanche diodes (SPADs). The new camera can detect single photons of light at unprecedented speeds, a capability that could advance applications that require fast acquisition of 3D images such as augmented reality and LiDAR systems for autonomous vehicles. "Thanks to its high resolution and ability to measure depth, this new camera could make virtual reality more realistic and let you interact with augmented reality information in ...
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2020-04-17

Velodyne Lidar Launches Ecosystem Partner Program

Velodyne Lidar introduced the Automated with Velodyne program for its integrator ecosystem to commercialize next generation autonomous solutions using Velodyne LiDAR technology. Through the program, Velodyne helps companies by supporting innovation, promoting applications and creating lasting customer and business relationships. (Image: Velodyne Lidar) The program reflects Velodyne’s focus on accelerating market adoption of 3D LiDAR innovations and driving revenue growth for its partners around the world. In addition to a broad portfolio of LiDAR sensors...
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2020-03-31

Applied Optoelectronics Reveal Narrow Linewidth Laser for Automotive LIDAR

Applied Optoelectronics, an optical products manufacturer, announced the release of a high power and narrow linewidth laser specifically designed for LiDAR applications, particularly for automotive use. Current automotive LIDAR systems are based on near infrared lasers, however these lasers are not eye safe and therefore are limited in terms of emitted power. This power limitation, in turn, restricts the effective sensing range of the LIDAR system. AOI’s laser operates at longer wavelengths near 1550-nm where eye-safe emission limits are much higher and therefore...
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2020-03-27

Micro LED + LiDAR, the Key Technologies for Apple to Push AR Products and Applications?

AR applications and devices are one of the major focuses of Apple at the moment. The company has shown its interests in AR technology development and considered that AR wearable glasses may replace smartphones in the near future. Rumors about Apple to reveal its AR smart glasses soon have been going on as well. Apple launched the new iPad Pro adopting LiDAR Scanner and releases the latest ARKit 3.5 which enables app developers to take advantage of the new LiDAR Scanner to capture 3D features of the surrounding environment. ARKit 3.5 also includes instant A...
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2020-03-23

Japan Researchers Use Slow Light to Accelerate LiDAR Sensors Development

A team from Yokohama National University in Japan believes they have developed a method to obtain a sensor by taking advantage of slow light and published the results in the Optica, a journal published by The Optical Society, on January 2020. A small-sized silicon photonics chip that can be used for non-mechanical beam steering and scanning. (Image: Yokohama National University) In modern LiDAR sensors, many of the systems are composed of a laser source; a photodetector, which converts light into current; and an optical beam steering device, which directs the light...
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2020-03-23

German LiDAR Company Blickfeld Completes Series A Funding With Participation of Continental and Wachstumsfonds Bayer

Blickfeld, the German LiDAR start-up Blickfeld based in Munich, announced that it has completed Series A financing round. The new financing was led by the venture capital unit of Continental together with Wachstumsfonds Bayern with participation of the existing investors Fluxunit – OSRAM Ventures, High-Tech Gründerfonds, TEV (Tengelmann Ventures) and Unternehmertum Venture Capital Partners. With the new financial resources, Blickfeld will them to ramp up production, qualify its LiDAR sensors for the automotive market and strengthen the app...
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2020-03-19

APPLE Reveals New 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 3D Sensing Solution Adopting LiDAR Scanner

APPLE reveals the latest 12.9-inch iPad Pro product of 2020, which is equipped with a LiDAR scanner for world facing 3D sensing solution. The product can be regarded as an outpost for full 3D sensing iPhones scheduled in September 2020. 3D sensing has been equipped with rear camera to provide features like rangefinder, blur photo effect (background removal included), 3D object recognition, spatial modeling and augmented reality. 3D sensing combining 5G transmission and AR function with gesture control is expected to realize interactive augmented reality, leading to ...
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2020-03-13

Velodyne Strengthens LiDAR Sensors Supply to NAVYA with New Sales Agreement

Velodyne Lidar announced a multi-year sales agreement with NAVYA, an autonomous driving system provider. NAYVA is a French company expert in autonomous driving system. The company has put into service autonomous mobility solutions in 2015 and used Velodyne’s LiDAR sensors in production for its autonomous shuttle fleet that provides mobility services to cities and private sites. (Image: Velodyne Lidar/NAVYA) With the sales agreement, NAVYA plans to pursue the worldwide expansion of its shuttle with Velodyne’s sensors for precise real-time...
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2020-03-12

Mitsubishi Electric Develops MEMS LiDAR Solution for Autonomous Vehicles

Mitsubishi Electric announced that it has developed a compact LiDAR solution incorporating a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) that achieves an extra-wide horizontal scanning angle to accurately detect the shapes and distances of objects ahead in autonomous driving systems. The new LiDAR solution irradiates objects by laser and uses a dual-axis (horizontal and vertical) MEMS mirror to scan for the reflected light, generating three-dimensional images of vehicles and pedestrians. Mitsubishi Electric expects this compact, low-cost solution to contribute to th...
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2020-03-06

SiLC Technologies Raises $12M in Seed Funding Led by Dell for LiDAR Technology Development

SiLC Technologies, the developer of integrated single-chip FMCW LiDAR solutions, announced that it closed US$12 million in seed funding led by Dell Technologies Capital. Decent Capital, ITIC Ventures, and several prominent angel investors also participated in the funding round. SiLC will use the funding to scale its R&D and operations to develop its frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) silicon photonic 4D+ Vision Chip platform. SiLC demonstrated its integrated FMCW chip and long-range LiDAR resolution at CES 2020. The company al...
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2020-02-27

Velodyne Lidar to Drive Autonomous Cleaning Vehicles in China to Fight Coronavirus Epidemic

Velodyne Lidar announced a sales agreement with Idriverplus to provide Puck™ sensors over three years. The LiDAR sensor from Velodyne will be used in mass production of commercial autonomous vehicles, including street cleaners, passenger cars and logistics vehicles. Idriverplus is a Chinese company focusing on driverless technology and plans to place into commercial operation in China thousands of units of its unmanned, electric street cleaning vehicles, called WOXIAOBAI, with each vehicle equipped with two Puck sensors to ensure security and perception. Idri...
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2020-02-17

LeddarTech to Showcase LiDAR Technology with Renesas at AV20 Silicon Valley

LeddarTech announced that it will exhibit the result from the collaboration with its Ecosystem partner Renesas at the AV20 Silicon Valley Conference from February 26-28 at The Pullman San Francisco Bay. (Image: LeddarTech) LeddarTech will demonstrate the award-winning Leddar™ Pixell, a 3D solid-state cocoon LiDAR for autonomous shuttles, delivery vehicles and robotaxis. The Leddar Pixell features the LCA2 LeddarEngine™, for which LeddarTech collaborated with Renesas. The teams worked closely in the design and manufacturing of the LCA...
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Tokushima, Japan - 6 March 2024: Nichia, the world's largest LED manufacturer and inventor of the high-brightness blue and white LED, has started mass production of the new UV-B (308nm) and UV-A (330nm) LEDs in its popular 434 Series packa... READ MORE

New XLamp® S Line LEDs enhance growth, last longer, lower energy costs Horticulture and other forms of agricultural lighting require application-tuned ratios of spectral content, high efficacy and long lifetimes. Whether you are interested... READ MORE