Vehicle environment detection via LiDAR

The video shows the systems competence of cross-institute and cross-technology cooperation within the FMD and with the FMD using the example of a recent FMD-Space realized project of the OQmented GmbH in cooperation with 3 FMD institutes (Leibniz FBH, Fraunhofer ISIT and Fraunhofer IMS) in the field of vehicle environment detection.

Problems to be solved

LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) technology is currently being further developed to reliably detect ever greater distances and to operate in the wide-angle range as well as in strong sunlight. Only if distance detection is reliable even in larger areas, the technology is suitable for permanent use in the field of autonomous driving.
 

Goals of the project

The aim is to implement a wide field of view LIDAR demonstrator with a single MEMS mirror. This mirror shall have two essential features:

• Detection of obstacles in an angular range > 160 degrees
• Resolution of 0.1° over the entire field of view
   

Technological requirements

Narrow-band filters with a narrow passband around the central emission wavelength in combination with a temperature-stabilized pulsed laser source are to ensure good suppression of sunlight. Moreover, the combination of SPAD arrays with laser scanners is of great interest. Up to now, SPAD arrays have mainly been used in FLASH-LIDAR systems and have therefore primarily found application in short and medium ranges. One of the project‘s objectives is to show that the interaction between the SPAD array and the very strongly spatially focused light emission by the laser scanner can significantly increase the range of the sensor. The optical concept must be designed as to ensure that the very high scan angles (achievable with the 1D scanner from Fraunhofer ISIT / OQmented) can actually be detected by the SPAD array.

More on pulse laser sources for LiDAR

FMD institutes involved in the project

• Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik FBH
• Fraunhofer Institute for Silicon Technology ISIT
• Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic Circuits and Systems IMS

The Ferdinand-Braun-Institut has developed wavelength-stabilized pulsed lasers with low bandwidths and particularly high peak powers as well as the pulse drive electronics and will contribute these pulsed laser sources with suitable beam shaping and control.

Fraunhofer ISIT has developed MEMS scanners with particularly wide scanning angles and will contribute MEMS scanners built and contacted to the required extent.

Fraunhofer IMS has developed SPAD arrays with 192 x 2 pixels and contributes these together with pre-processing electronics and suitable data interfaces.
 

Objective of the cooperation with the FMD

The objective of the cooperation is to build a joint LIDAR demonstrator, largely built by OQmented, which will serve to combine the pulsed laser sources by the Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, the MEMS scanner components by Fraunhofer ISIT, the SPAD arrays by Fraunhofer IMS as well as the MEMS scanner controllers and the system software by OQmented. Subsequently, the prototype is to be presented to interested parties from industry and science.
 

Successes

Winner of the Plug and Play StartUp Camp 2019