US: Robotic perception pioneer AEye today announced the AE100, a leading-edge robotic perception system for autonomous vehicle, ADAS, and mobility markets. The AE100 is a solid state, cost-optimized system based on AEye’s iDAR technology, a new form of intelligent data collection that enables rapid, dynamic perception and enhanced path planning.
iDAR (Intelligent Detection and Ranging) integrates three core components: the world’s first agile MOEMS LiDAR, pre-fused and bore-sighted with a low-light HD video camera; distributed artificial intelligence; and software-definable and extensible hardware. This powerful combination enables iDAR to dynamically adapt to the real-time demands of automated and autonomous vehicles.
The AE100 will be available beginning this summer to OEMs and Tier 1s launching autonomous vehicle initiatives. The company’s iDAR development partner program is currently available to partners interested in integrating iDAR into their products. At CES in Las Vegas this week, AEye will be offering private demonstrations and in-car on-road experiences by appointment.
“The AE100 is a game-changer for the autonomous vehicle and ADAS markets, as it makes iDAR technology commercially available for the first time,” said Luis Dussan, founder and CEO of AEye. “iDAR-based robotic perception allows sensors to mimic the visual cortex – bringing real-time intelligence to data collection. As a result, the system not only captures everything in a scene – it actually brings higher resolution to key objects and exceeds industry required speeds and distances. By solving for the limitations of first generation LiDAR-only solutions, AEye is enabling the safe, timely rollout of failsafe commercial autonomous vehicles.”
AEye’s iDAR technology mimics how a human’s visual cortex focuses on and evaluates potential driving hazards. Using a distributed architecture, iDAR critically and dynamically assesses general surroundings, while applying differentiated focus to track targets and objects of interest.
This scalable, software-definable approach enables iDAR to deliver higher accuracy, longer range, and more intelligent information to optimize path planning software – enabling drastically improved autonomous vehicle safety and performance at a reduced cost.
“The scorecard of performance characteristics used to judge current LiDAR-only systems must be rewritten from basic serial data collection to intelligent and value-added information creation,” said John Stockton, vice president of product at AEye.
Stockton adds, “Up until now, basic capabilities such as resolution, speed, and range have been the only metrics tracked. iDAR brings new capabilities that redefine robotic perception performance, such as target acquisition time and blob revisit rates, where iDAR delivers a 3000x improvement. The result is a system that has the capability to very quickly or instantaneously calculate things such as 3D multivariable velocity and acceleration, true color point clouds, and augmented single centimeter level localization for radically improved control, innovation and performance of path-planning software.”
“A key objective was to design a solid state modular platform that is software definable in order to increase reliability and optimize the cost. We created an easy transition from first generation spinning LiDAR hardware that allows path planning software teams to plug and play the AE100 as they replace their legacy systems. It requires no software changes, and enables them to bring in the more advanced features over time,” said Barry Behnken, AEye’s VP of Engineering.
