TI Korea announced the launch of a portfolio of millimeter-wave (mmWave) single-chip CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) sensors that enable a new level of precision and intelligence for automotive, factory and building automation, and medical applications.

The product line consists of five solutions across two 76–81 GHz sensor families, supporting an end-to-end development platform. The AWR1x and IWR1x sensor portfolios are currently available for sampling and offer up to three times more precise sensing than other millimeter-wave solutions on the market. Developers can combine analog design techniques with digital signal processing to implement intelligent contactless sensing solutions in their systems.

The millimeter-wave sensor portfolio offers fully integrated CMOS single-chip products using a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microcontroller (MCU), as well as single-chip products integrating only an MCU or a DSP. Each chip provides a distance resolution of less than 4 cm, distance accuracy of less than 50 µm, and sensing solutions up to 300 m. This extensive portfolio has enabled developers to select solutions according to their needs and reduced board space and power consumption by up to 50%.

The mmWave 76~81GHz single-chip sensor portfolio can dynamically adapt to changing conditions, enabling sensing for various applications.

The AWR1x mmWave portfolio can lower implementation costs by providing a new level of precision through a small form factor and low power consumption. Developers can not only enhance ADAS and autonomous driving safety features, including ISO 26262 which enables ASIL (Automotive Safety Integrity Level)-B, but also provide new capabilities such as automatic parking assistance, pedestrian detection, and passenger and driver monitoring.
In addition, the IWR1x and AWR1x mmWave sensors are capable of precise sensing on various materials such as plastic, dry wall, fabric, and glass, as well as in environments such as lightning, rain, dust, fog, and ice.

TI's new mmWave software development kit (SDK) provides sample algorithms and software libraries, enabling RF design through fewer than 20 simple application programming interfaces (APIs). According to a TI official, engineers using the SDK can develop applications in under 30 minutes.