Summary of SMALL FORM FACTOR MMWAVE RADAR SENSOR FOR INDUSTRIAL AND AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS
D3 Engineering's DesignCore RS-6843AOPUA is a compact mmWave radar sensor utilizing 60 GHz technology for high-accuracy proximity and motion sensing. Designed for industrial and automotive testing, it features a 1-inch cube form factor with a USB-C interface. The device integrates the Texas Instruments AWR6843AOP chip, which combines an ARM Cortex-R4F microcontroller, C674x DSP, and hardware accelerators to handle signal processing, object tracking, and classification efficiently within a small package.
Parts used in the DesignCore RS-6843AOPUA:
- D3 Engineering DesignCore RS-6843AOPUA mmWave Radar Sensor
- Texas Instruments AWR6843AOP single-chip radar device
- ARM Cortex-R4F microcontroller
- C674x DSP
- Radar accelerator
- Antenna array
- USB-C connector
- Serial UART interfaces
With high-frequency contactless technology operating at 30 to 300 GHz, often known as mmWave is widely implemented as a sensing technology for proximity detection of objects and motion sensing. Since it operates at a high frequency, meaning the technology uses smaller wavelengths that help in giving it high accuracy and is capable of penetrating materials. Due to the increasing demand for industrial and automotive applications, D3 Engineering has announced its DesignCore RS-6843AOPUA mmWave Radar Sensor measuring 1-inch cube form factor. This small form factor sensor with a USB-Serial interface is designed for field testing, sensing evaluation, and algorithm development.
The tiny mmWave radar sensor is based around the ARM Cortex-R4F clocked with up to 200 MHz and Antenna-on-Package AWR6843AOP from the Texas Instrument. The AWR6843AOP single-chip radar device is an AECQ-100 qualified single-chip 60 GHz automotive radar sensor integrated with a DSP and MCU. It also features a radar accelerator and an antenna array in the package.
The processing cores in the AWR6843AOP include a C674x DSP for FMCW signal processing, a hardware accelerator for radar data processing, and a Cortex-R4F microcontroller for object tracking, classification, and communications.
The sensor has two variants, the RS-6843AOPA, and RS6843AOPUA. The former provides an additional option to connect it to baseboards via headers to get more interfaces and functionalities. While RS-6843AOPUA comes with a USB-C connector, which can be used to power the board or enumerate two serial UARTs (one for console and the other for algorithm outputs).
Read more: SMALL FORM FACTOR MMWAVE RADAR SENSOR FOR INDUSTRIAL AND AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS
- What frequency range does the mmWave technology operate at?
The technology operates at 30 to 300 GHz. - Can the sensor penetrate materials due to its frequency?
Yes, its high frequency and smaller wavelengths allow it to penetrate materials. - How fast is the clock speed of the ARM Cortex-R4F processor?
The ARM Cortex-R4F is clocked with up to 200 MHz. - Does the AWR6843AOP chip qualify for automotive applications?
Yes, it is an AECQ-100 qualified single-chip 60 GHz automotive radar sensor. - What specific tasks does the Cortex-R4F microcontroller perform?
It handles object tracking, classification, and communications. - Which variant includes a USB-C connector for power and data?
The RS-6843AOPUA variant comes with a USB-C connector. - How many serial UARTs can be enumerated via the USB-C on the UUA model?
It can enumerate two serial UARTs for console and algorithm outputs. - What is the primary purpose of the RS-6843AOPA variant?
It provides headers to connect to baseboards for more interfaces and functionalities.
