Lumotive and Lattice Semiconductor to Demo Chip-Based Beam Steering for 3D Sensing at DevCon 2024

REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lumotive, a leader in optical semiconductor technology, and Lattice Semiconductor, renowned for low-power, scalable FPGA solutions, are excited to announce their collaboration on a revolutionary platform for advanced 3D sensing.  At Lattice DevCon 2024, the companies will showcase how their combined technologies transform the landscape of industrial automation, robotics, and autonomous mobility.

At the heart of this innovation is the seamless integration of Lattice's FPGA into Lumotive's Light Control Metasurface (LCM™) beam-steering chip module. This collaboration pairs Lumotive's solid-state beam-steering technology with Lattice's advanced field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) to deliver precise, scalable, and efficient solutions for real-world applications.

"By embedding Lattice's FPGA into our beam-steering chip module, we're not just advancing 3D sensing—we're unlocking the full potential of 3D perception," said Dr. Sam Heidari, CEO of Lumotive. "This collaboration sets a new standard for precision, scalability, and efficiency, giving developers the tools to innovate faster and tackle the most pressing challenges in industrial and autonomous applications."

Why Software-Defined Adaptability Matters

The MD42 module, enabled by this integration, brings software-defined sensing that allows systems to adjust to changing environments in real-time. Advanced features like dynamic Regions of Interest (ROI), HDR, and Foveation offer unparalleled flexibility for tailored use cases:

Dynamic ROI: Prioritizing Critical Areas
 In an automated warehouse, a robotic forklift maneuvers through aisles populated with moving elements, including workers and various equipment. The dynamic ROI allows the sensing system to focus on nearby human workers and essential machinery, while giving less priority to stationary shelving or far-off items. This approach guarantees safety and operational efficiency without burdening the system with extraneous data.

HDR (High Dynamic Range): Addressing Lighting Challenges
 Envision an autonomous vehicle transitioning from a tunnel into bright sunlight. Conventional sensors frequently have difficulty maintaining precision amid such swift lighting shifts. HDR sensing adapts in real time, ensuring visibility and allowing the vehicle to swiftly identify pedestrians or other vehicles, even in difficult conditions.

Foveation: Focusing on Precision Tasks
In the realm of industrial automation, a robotic arm tasked with assembling electronics must achieve precision at its designated location. Foveation enables the sensing system to focus high-resolution data on the specific assembly point, while employing lower resolution for the surrounding areas, thus enhancing performance and conserving resources.

Integration with Lattice FPGA

Lattice's FPGA drives the MD42 module's beam-steering functionality, enabling:

• Real-time data processing for fast decision-making.
• Scalable and efficient, ideal for various industrial uses.
• Simplified development, reducing complexity and accelerating time-to-market.

Transforming the Future of 3D Perception

The demo, scheduled for December 10-11, will showcase these capabilities with a focus on:

• Outdoor Sensing Precision: Accurate detection up to 80 meters, with robust performance at 40 meters in sunlight, operating at 20 Hz FPS.
• Wide Field of View: Spanning 120° x 90° for comprehensive coverage.
• Dynamic Region of Interest Modes: Empowering precise object detection with user-controlled adaptability.
• Seamless Interface Compatibility: Supports MIPI/USB and can be easily bridged to Ethernet via Lattice FPGA.
• Dynamic Adaptability: Real-time adjustments tailored to diverse use cases.

Built for Speed

Leveraging the success of Lumotive's MD42 Development Kit, this partnership shortens development timelines from 18 months to 3-6 months. This allows developers to implement customized solutions more rapidly while preserving flexibility.

About Lumotive

Lumotive's award-winning optical semiconductor solutions enable advanced sensing and perception capabilities in next-generation consumer, mobility, and industrial automation products such as mobile devices, autonomous vehicles, and robots. The company's patented Light Control Metasurface (LCM™) beam steering chips deliver an unparalleled combination of high performance, exceptional reliability, and low cost — all in a tiny, easily integrated solution. Lumotive has received measurable industry acclaim including Fierce Electronics' 2021 Startup of the Year award, CES Innovation Awards in 2022 and 2024, Fast Company's Next Big Thing in Tech 2023, a 2022 SPIE PRISM Award, and a prestigious Edison Award. Investors include Gates Frontier, MetaVC Partners, Quan Funds, Samsung Ventures, and Uniquest. For more information about Lumotive, please visit www.lumotive.com.

About Lattice Semiconductor

Lattice Semiconductor is the low power programmable leader. We solve customer problems across the network, from the Edge to the Cloud, in the growing communications, computing, industrial, automotive and consumer markets. Our technology, long-standing relationships, and commitment to world-class support let our customers quickly and easily unleash their innovation to create a smart, secure, and connected world.

For more information about Lattice, please visit www.latticesemi.com.

SOURCE Lumotive