European Group Develops Tiny Radar on a Chip

A consortium in Europe has developed a thumbtack-size 122-GHz radar system on a chip that can be used for vehicle parking, distance and speed measurement applications.

The surface-mountable system is the result of a $6.1 million project launched in 2009 by Robert Bosch and eight others. Dubbed SUCCESS (for Silicon-based Ultra-Compact Cost-Efficient System design for mm-wave Sensors), the effort was funded primarily by the European Union.

The consortium's 8x8-millimeter system consists of a silicon germanium chip and two antennae for transmitting and receiving. The ultra-miniature sensor also has built-in diagnostics. Developers say integrating the system's baseband processor, data converters and wave circuitry on one chip enables an electronics package that can be produced at high volume for less than one euro ($1.29).

The millimeter-wave system's tiny antenna is made on a flexible polyimide material and uses the chip's backing as a reflector. Developers completed the first prototype in July.

Members of the consortium, in addition to Bosch, include Evatronix (Poland), Hightech MC (Switzerland), IHP (Germany), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and Silicon Radar (Germany), Selmic (Finland), ST Microelectronics (France) and the University of Toronto (Canada).