I-Corps: Resonant Optics I-Corps Team

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Robotics and autonomous systems (RAS) technology has utility to diverse industries, including robotics, mineral extraction, shipping and transport, manufacturing, construction, agriculture, and defense which, together, created 27% of US GDP in 2014. The development of RAS instrumentation that serves manufacturing industries is estimated to increase productivity up to 22%. Distance sensing instrumentation is critically important for RAS as it allows these systems to map their surrounding environments, safely perform tasks, and intelligently react to changes in the environment. The objective of this proposal is to translate a resonant light detection and ranging (R-LIDAR) instrument that enables high-performance, small-size, and low-cost distance sensing through the use of a resonant optomechanical scanner from the laboratory to the marketplace. This instrument senses distance over a large field-of-view with high resolution and frame rates using a small size, weight, and power (SWAP) system.The R-LIDAR system can be expected to make a significant commercial impact in an addressable LIDAR distance sensor market, a market expected to reach $625 million/year by 2020. Development of high-performance resonant optomechanical scanners for R-LIDAR systems would also benefit related disciplines that use beam scanning technologies such as microscopy, endoscopy, light machining, and display. NSF Innovation Corps Teams Program (I-Corps Teams) resources will provide insight through customer interviews of the viability of the R-LIDAR technology in the marketplace, information regarding desired instrument design attributes, funds for technology development, and a transition plan for commercializing the technology.