17 November 2016

Analog Devices acquires laser beam-steering technology from Vescent

Analog Devices Inc (ADI) of Norwood, MA, USA (which designs and manufactures ICs for analog and digital signal processing applications) has acquired solid-state laser beam-steering technology from privately held company Vescent Photonics Inc of Golden, CO, USA (which was founded in 2002 to develop and manufacture technologies in waveguide, electro-optics, tunable lasers, and electronics for precision laser control).

Vescent's non-mechanical beam steering technology enables more robust integrated LIDAR (light imaging, detection and ranging) systems that overcome many of the major drawbacks associated with existing bulky mechanical offerings (such as reliability, size, and cost). ADI reckons that the acquisition strengthens its position as a major automotive safety system technology partner for next-generation (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) and autonomous driving applications.

"From inertial MEMS sensors used in airbag and electronic stability control applications to 24GHz and 77GHz automotive radar, ADI solutions have helped save lives for over two decades," says Chris Jacobs, general manager of Automotive Safety at Analog Devices. "Now, this innovative technology will play an important role in making LIDAR systems more compact, more robust, and an affordable feature in every new car worldwide."

Existing ADAS systems must rely on a suite of sensor technologies that include cameras, radar and LIDAR to effectively provide advanced safety features such as forward collision warning, blind-spot detection, pedestrian detection, and autonomous driving functions. Cameras are used widely for object recognition while radar uses radio-frequency electromagnetic waves to measure distance. LIDAR uses laser beams to measure the distance and can also recognize objects. Scanning LIDAR systems can be used to detect objects on or near the roadway and fill the blind spots known to exist when using radar and cameras.

Tags: Analog Devices

Visit: www.vescent.com

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