Metawave Corporation has successfully demonstrated the world’s first automated 77 GHz electronically steerable antenna calibration system to achieve dependable and repeatable beamsteering. Metawave also recently demonstrated its millimeter-wave analog phase controller, which enables analog beamsteering radar for highly automated driving, an important step toward full autonomy.
calibration system for realizing dependable and repeatable beamsteering. (Metawave)
According to Metawave, its WARLORD radar system enables near instantaneous positioning of the radar beam anywhere within a set field of view (FOV), allowing the beam position to be changed in microseconds. This design overcomes the typical limitations of existing radars while extending detection range and enhancing angular resolution.
With highly focused transmitter beamsteering, Metawave can more precisely focus the beam on what the target needs to detect in order to make critical driving decisions quickly, safely and smoothly. This beamsteering capability empowers Metawave’s proprietary AI platform – AWARE – with the ability to identify regions of interest and quickly detect and classify objects, both up-close and in the distance (~300 meters), ensuring the automobile receives the information needed to make critical driving decisions.
The calibration system was completed in partnership with The University of Oklahoma Advanced Radar Research Center (ARRC) at the Radar Innovation Lab (RIL), a research facility directed by Dr. Robert Palmer.
Much of the work at ARRC was led by Dr. Jorge Salazar, head of the Phased Array Antenna and Development (PAARD) group that focuses on the design of high-performance active antennas for multifunction phased array radars, including integration, characterization and calibration from S- to W-bands. Dr. Salazar assembled a diverse team of experts in radar design and calibration from the Advanced Radar Research Center to enable the acceleration of this project.