Surveillance and Security Radar Applications
Increased safety in radar applications
The Challenge
Design a cost-effective 24GHz FMCW Security Radar used in surveillance applications
CLIENT: FLIR SYSTEMS – NASDAQ: FLIR
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LOCATION: SANTA BARBARA, CA, USA
FLIR SYSTEMS looked to our team to develop a cost-effective security radar solution that integrates 24GHz RF modules with DSP SoC in a small footprint, very low power consumption and long-range performance. They rely on us to overcome the significant challenge of optimizing DSP algorithms generally executed on a high-performance CPU or FPGA and porting them into the SHAVE HW accelerators of the Myriad-2 SoC. Orthogone has been involved as much in developing the digital part of the radar as in the software.
Design and prototyping of the complete product
Optimization of DSP algorithms
Use of low power consumption
“FLIR Systems provides a superpower vision by helping people around the world save lives, protect the environment and enhance productivity. FLIR is building more than innovative technologies; they are building a more sustainable, efficient and safer future. ”
- Louis Tremblay, Systems Engineer
The Solution
Partner with Orthogone for technical expertise
Orthogone is at the heart of the realization of this project for the traffic monitoring and management market. Our team of FPGA designers and electronics and software developers made Flir’s project a reality by designing a cost-effective radar solution that integrates 24 GHz RF modules and a DSP SoC in a small footprint, with very low power consumption and long-range performance.
SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE DEVELOPMENT TO ENHANCE PRODUCTIVITY
The radar algorithms were only deployed on high-performance CPUs when we developed this solution. However, Orthogone could use a highly integrated SoC typically used in computer vision systems by customizing and optimizing these FMCW Radar algorithms. This solution vastly decreased the size and cost of the radar system. Multiple field trials and successful demos have been completed. Technical risks have been mitigated, and the project is progressing with a second iteration to bring the product to market.
HARDWARE DESIGN
- Hardware and mechanical design concept and architecture
- Power supply design (PoE)
- Hardware design of a high-density CPU sub-system based on Movidius (Intel) Myriad-2 System on a Chip (SoC) and multiple peripherals (USB 3.0, Ethernet, etc.)
- Hardware and FPGA design of an Intel MAX10 FPGA
- Hardware design of an add-on GNSS board based on U-blox CAM-M8 solution
- Functional hardware boards bring up, test, and integration with RF front-end module
SOFTWARE DESIGN
- Board Support Package and device drivers
- Software design and optimization of Radar detection and tracking algorithms
- Porting of algorithms typically running on FPGA and/or high-performance CPU to a chain of HW accelerators part of the Myriad-2 SoC
- Memory and CPU bandwidth optimization
- Manufacturing information, calibration
- Functional bring-up, tests, HW/SW integration, and field trials
TECHNOLOGY
- SoC: Intel (Movidius) Myriad-2
- FPGA: Intel Max-10
- ADI: 24GHz FMCW Radar chipset (4) solution
- PoE solution
The Result
A customized technology for specific use cases and mission-critical requirements
Our expertise has been instrumental in customizing technology to adapt it to specific use cases and mission-critical requirements. Multiple field trials and successful demos have been completed. Technical risks have been mitigated, and the project is now moving forward with a second iteration to bring the product to market.
