Sonair co-founder Ole Marius Reindal answers questions about ADAR, explaining how it differs from LiDAR and what it means for automated packaging and palletizing operations.
What is ADAR?
ADAR (acoustic detection and ranging) refers to a new category of sensors that enables 3D ultrasound imaging in air. ADAR can be considered alongside established technologies such as radar and sonar. The main difference is that ADAR works acoustically in air, while sonar works underwater and radar uses radio frequencies.
Don’t airborne ultrasound sensors already exist?
Yes, but the most common version – the parking sensors on your car – are one-dimensional. They sense in one direction and only provide distance information. ADAR-based sensors provide the x, y and z coordinates needed to create a 3D view. This allows ADAR-based sensors to be used on robots for safe operation in shared spaces with humans.
What types of robots can this technology be used on?
The new sensor has been extensively tested with AMRs and has shown excellent results. But it is by no means limited to AMRs. Any robot that shares space with humans can benefit from 360-degree obstacle detection.
Don’t sensor packages on AMRs already provide obstacle detection capabilities?
Sensor packages, which can account for 30% or more of an AMR’s total hardware cost, include various combinations of sensing and camera technologies – such as 2D safety-certified LiDAR – to help robots safely navigate their environments while detecting obstacles.