TriLumina to demo 256-pixel 3D solid-state LiDAR and ADAS systems for autonomous driving at CES 2017
27 December 2016
At CES 2017, TriLumina (earlier post)—a spin-out from Sandia National Laboratories—will demonstrate, in collaboration with LeddarTech (earlier post), an innovative 256-pixel, 3D LiDAR solution for autonomous driving applications powered by TriLumina’s breakthrough laser illumination module and LeddarTech’s LeddarCore ICs.
TriLumina has developed eye-safe, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). The TriLumina illumination modules replace the expensive, bulky scanning LiDARs being used in current autonomous vehicle demonstration programs with high resolution and long-range sensing in a small, robust and cost-effective package.
VCSELs are semiconductor laser-diodes, which emit light perpendicular to the surface. The vertical structure of the VCSEL allows building a large number of lasers next to each other to form arrays.
TriLumina developed a unique architecture for two-dimensional arrays of VCSELs that allow for simultaneous high-power output and high-bandwidth modulation. The arrays use integrated micro-lenses for beam shaping and control, and to enable incoherent beam combining to make compact, high-brightness sources with low coherence noise.
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| Cross-section of TriLumina’s VCSEL array structure. Warren et al. Click to enlarge. |
At TriLumina, we are building complete Illumination modules with our patented, back-emitting, flip-chip VCSEL arrays and driver circuits to provide the highest efficiency and most powerful illumination solutions available. The 3D solid-state LiDAR solutions presented at CES will demonstrate the incredible capabilities of our laser solutions and how they can be rapidly deployed to enable new signal processing capabilities such as those in the LeddarCore ICs.
—Brian Wong, CEO of TriLumina
TriLumina-powered 3D automotive LiDAR units will also be showcased at CES 2017 at the Renesas Advanced and Autonomous Track Experience at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
DENSO International America, Inc. announced an investment in TriLumina Corp. earlier this year.
Resources
Mial E. Warren; Richard F. Carson; John R. Joseph; Thomas Wilcox; Preethi Dacha, et al. (2015) “High-speed and scalable high-power VCSEL arrays and their applications” Proc. SPIE 9381, Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers XIX doi: 10.1117/12.2080235
Good news for 3D SS Lidar, TriLumina, Denso and future ADVs. Coupled with other sensors and appropriate computing facilities & software, these new Lidars could greatly improve ADVs reliability and procure safer driving by 2025 or so.
Posted by: HarveyD | 27 December 2016 at 08:10 AM
Yes, you just can't beat good sensors (such as lidar).
It should make the vision programming simpler.
Might want a few more pixels, though, unless you can fuse the sparse lidar pixels with dense visual camera pixels.
Posted by: mahonj | 28 December 2016 at 03:28 AM
Imaging LIDAR has been in development for a decade or more. A good example of a vehicle test with a lower resolution system is here:
http://www.sensorsinc.com/gallery/videos/
Posted by: Fasteddie | 29 December 2016 at 04:09 PM