Compact and Affordable LiDAR Breakthrough: No Moving Parts
Researchers at the University of Washington have developed a laser on a chip that uses acoustic waves to bend the laser, eliminating the need for moving parts in LiDAR systems. The resulting integrated circuit (IC) can image objects over 100 feet away and has potential applications in 3D scanning and drones. The system's efficiency currently stands at 5%, but the team aims to achieve 50% efficiency to make it practical for autonomous cars.