Texas Instruments says it has launched its highest-resolution single-chip mmWave sensors, or industrial mmWave sensors, which it claims “enable intelligent autonomy at the edge”.
The company says the plan is to advance millimeter-wave (mmWave) sensor technology in worldwide industrial applications.
TI’s new 60-GHz sensor portfolio is said to be the highest resolution single-chip, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS), for industrial systems.
IWR6x mmWave sensors enable industrial automation through on-chip processing capabilities, providing real-time decision-making and signal processing.
The newest 60-GHz mmWave sensors will be the first to include antenna-on-package offerings, which remove the traditional challenges associated with radio-frequency design while shrinking size up to 75 percent and reducing overall cost.
With 60-GHz mmWave sensors, engineers worldwide can integrate mmWave technology into a vast range of robotics, factory automation and building automation designs while leveraging the ISM band for broad deployment.
Built for industrial performance, high-resolution IWR6x sensors provide up to 4 GHz of ultra-wide bandwidth to detect objects and motion up to 16 times more accurately than 24-GHz narrowband solutions.
Key features and benefits of IWR6x sensors
- Intelligent autonomy at the edge: Integrated processing capabilities enable the sensor to reduce false positives and make real-time decisions, eliminating the need for a microcontroller or processor in many systems.
- Highest-resolution sensing: Ultra-wideband mmWave sensors detect objects, people, and motion as fine as breathing and typing, with up to 16 times greater resolution than 24-GHz sensors.
- Optimized for industrial automation: mmWave technology expands building and factory automation capabilities, enabling smarter people counting, motion detection, robotics, safety guards, vital sign monitoring, and more.
- Enhanced system accuracy: 60-GHz mmWave sensors improve the accuracy of existing systems by operating in crowded spaces; in various lighting and environmental conditions; and through materials such as glass, plastic and drywall.
- Simplifying industrial designs: With a platform that includes antenna-on-package, a scalable software platform, application-specific algorithms, and multiple reference designs, designers can get started immediately.
Preproduction IWR6843 devices will be available through the TI store starting November 12.
The IWR6843 modular development platform (IWR6843-STARTER-BDL) is available for $348, and additional antenna modules (IWR6843ISK) are available for $149.
