Compact beam scanning 240GHz radar for navigation and collision avoidance

Autonomous small robotic platforms require a suite of sensor to navigate and function in complex environment. Due to limited space, onboard power, and processing capability these sensors must be low mass, compact size, low power, and run with minimal processing resources. We are in the process of developing a compact and low-power imaging mm-wave radar system for small autonomous robotic platforms operating at Y-band to allow for navigation and obstacle detection in conditions that make the use of passive optical sensors difficult or impossible. The radar system is being fabricated and assembled using silicon micromachining technique with the overall mass of 5 grams, peak power of 200 mW, and operational power of 6.7 mW for one frame per second update rate, field of view of ± 25°, angular resolution of 2°, range resolution of 37.5cm, and range of 400m. The beam steering is accomplished by frequency scanning and the range resolution is obtained from the standard FMCW technique utilizing a chirped signal waveform with step discontinuities. This paper will present the overall architecture of this radar system in addition to the phenomenological investigation of scattering from obstacle in indoor environment. It is also shown how radar images taken from indoor scenes can be interpreted and utilized to create the interior layout of a building.