Semiconductor laser specialists Coherent Corporation and shortwave infrared (SWIR) imaging experts TriEye have demonstrated a jointly-developed laser-illuminated SWIR imaging system for automotive and robotic applications.
The growing number of use cases for SWIR imaging, which expands vision in automotive and robotics beyond the visible spectrum, is driving demand for low-cost mass-market SWIR cameras. The companies leveraged TriEye’s spectrum enhanced detection and ranging (SEDAR) product platform and Coherent’s SWIR semiconductor laser to devise a laser-illuminated SWIR imaging system, the first of its kind to reach lower cost points while achieving very high performance over a wide range of environmental conditions.
Coherent’s Chief Marketing Officer Dr. Sanjai Parthasarathi says the new system “combines best-in-class SWIR imaging and laser illumination technologies that will enable next-generation cameras to provide images through rain or fog, and in any lighting condition, from broad daylight to total darkness at night. Both technologies are produced leveraging high-volume manufacturing platforms that will enable them to achieve the economies of scale required to penetrate markets in automotive and robotics”.
And TriEye cofounder and CEO Avi Bakal says “We are happy to collaborate with a global leader in semiconductor lasers and to establish an ecosystem that the automotive and industrial robotics industries can rely on to build next-generation solutions. This is the next step in the evolution of our technology innovation, which will enable mass-market applications. Our collaboration will allow us to continue revolutionizing sensing capabilities and machine vision by allowing the incorporation of SWIR technology into a greater number of emerging applications”.
DVN comment
The combination of laser illumination proposed by Coherent and TriEye’s SEDAR would allow to enhance fog’s backscattering rejection in the 3D image. It can represent an alternative to the classical Lidars with the benefit of a pure solid state solution working simultaneously in three different light spectra.
