Problem
Mechanical beam-steering technologies consume power at rates that are prohibitive for their intended applications, resulting in heavy, bulky and expensive systems.
Solution
Professor Juliet Gopinath developed a non-mechanical beam steering technology that has potential to be 40 times smaller and 750 times less expensive than systems currently available on the market. The technology also outcompetes with weight and electrical power reduced by an order of magnitude. In addition, it has ability for correction of aberrations, which means it has the ability to adapt to changing conditions and has a scan angle of 150 degrees.
Market Application
The immediate application of the non-mechanical beam steering technology is LIDAR systems such as Autonomous Vehicle Navigation, Airborne and Underwater. Airborne is the largest component market, used for corridor mapping and 3D imaging of roads, railways, and air travel paths, has become evermore important due to the increasing population. Autonomous Vehicles are in need of a low power, compact and inexpensive system with large scan angles. This low-cost technology has potential for further applications in medical imaging such as optical biopsy and photodynamic cancer therapy.
