IEEE Spectrum August 21, 2020
An international team of researchers (USA – University of Florida, China) designed and fabricated a MEMS mirror specifically designed with direct actuation from the microcontroller. It is powered by a 9-V commercial battery. Instead of a motorized optomechanical scanner, the system relies on MEMS mirrors to control the LiDAR signals. The mirrors require significantly less power to manipulate than the bulkier motorized scanner that have typically been used. A passive infrared sensor ensures that the whole system is only activated when people are present. It may have applications ranging from robotics to small unmanned air vehicles…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Low-power MEMS LiDAR in a portable enclosure. Credit: Dingkang Wang