Solutions for Automotive/Security Radar and Future Wireless Applications

The revolution in ICT is large facilitated through breakthroughs in technology. This project has pushed the frontier of ultra high speed millimetre wave technology working under the NORDITE framework and in conjunction with leading Scandinavian technolog y firms. The project has specifically researched optimum configurations of millimeter frontends for the purpose of designing broadband modules with adaptive beamscanning. As a result of this investigationa novel configuration utilising a conformal array over a cylindrical surface has been invented. This design has major advantages in terms of azimuth coverage and scanning and tracking performance. As the next step the project has looked into two main application areas and developed two new system concept s. The first is in the area of auto mobile rader and security radar, where a next generation of conformal wide angle sensor head has been designed. This technology will improve performance of the sensor system and facilitate new system features. The othe r application is the ultra high bit rate mobile and wireless connectivity where Tb/s access nodes using massive MIMO technology and processing has been investigated. The project has produced two PhD dissertations, and follow on industrial industrialisati on is initiated.

SARFA is a blue sky research program looking into novel and future technologies and systems for millimeter wave (24GHz, 77GHz, 150GHz, THz) frontends for radars (automobile, security) and wireless communications (MIMO, 4G, 5G). The scope extends from bas ic research of key technologies to system design and innovation for the selected applications. The project has a key focus on basic research in enabling technologies working with partner universities KTH (Stockholm) and AALTO (Finland). Specific technolo gies investigated are micro-electromechanical (MIMO) structures on the component and system level including the use of locally tunable high-impedance surfaces. Additionaly the use of Si, GaAs and other materials enabling large scale low cost production ar e investigated. A main research driver is additionally the design of overall frontends with 1D, 2D and 3D beam forming and scanning capability facilitating adaptive two-way multibeam architectures with very large bandwidths/communication capability. The project focuses towards the implementation of adaptive MIMO (AMIMO) communication technology in the mm-wave and THz band. MMIMO uses 3D beam-forming technology to achieve directed one- to one and one-to-many communication between communication nodes. In addition the communication capability is multiplied by a large factor utilizing available reflection paths that would otherwise cause unwanted reflection. Using high-efficiency coding (>50b/s pr 1Hz bandwidth), large inherent bandwidth ( >1GHz), multibeam MIMO (>30), total system capacities of Tb/s wireless connectivity for femtocell, picocell and nanocell applications are investigated. For security/automobile radar sensors the availability of wide bandwidth front-ends cabable of multiple beams and adapt ive beam-shaping with hemi-spherical or full spherical coverage facilitates new designs, enhanced functionality and new concepts of operation. The project implements and researches advanced concepts for automobile radars and implements a 3D system solutio n with 180 degree coverage using a curved aperture conformal antenna concept, and achieves target detection, tracking and classification also using synthetic aperture (SAR) and inverse synthetic aperture (ISAR) methods. The project has extensive industry collaboration, working with national (NORBIT, Triad, Sensonor, TI, Nordic Semiconductor) and international companies.