Lunewave has been spun out of UA to develop 3D printable radar technology that could one day be integrated into the advanced driver assistance systems on automobiles.
University of Arizona (UA) has spun out Lunewave, a US-based to develop improved radar technology for the advanced driver assistance systems (Adas) used in some cars.
Lunewave is based on research by two professors in UA’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Hao Xin and Siyang Cao, as well as postdoctoral research associate Min Liang.
The university hopes the spinout’s approach will provide better coverage, bandwidth and resistance to adverse weather conditions than the Adas detection systems currently available on the market.
Lunewave’s design uses a 3D printable passive radar device called a Luneburg lens to operate with less interference and at a lower cost than the multitude of sensors typically used at present.
The inventors have worked with UA’s commercialisation arm, Tech Launch Arizona (TLA), to formulate a business strategy for Lunewave’s launch, and are taking part in the university’s incubator Arizona Centre for Innovation.
They also had access to TLA mentor-in-residence Steven Wood, who has 25 years of entrepreneurial and executive experience, and is an electrical engineering graduate of Northeastern University.
Bob Sleeper, licensing manager for the College of Engineering at TLA, said: “Together, these two technologies may prove to be the key to allow traditionally expensive luxury car automotive safety systems to be included on much more popular and less expensive cars.”
Hao Xin said: “These technologies have applications in sensing and detection, autonomous cars and drones, pollution, water vapour detection as well as wireless communication. We see huge opportunity.”