Riverside Research and Oklahoma State University have won DARPA funding to develop a next-generation radar sensor that can detect extremely small objects.
The project is led by principal investigator Rajind Mendis, senior research scientist at Riverside Research, and co-principal investigator John O’Hara, associate professor and PSO/Albrecht Naeter professor of electrical engineering at OSU.
The team will develop a radar sensor that operates at terahertz frequencies, 10 to 100 times higher than conventional radar. The higher frequencies are intended to improve resolution, enabling the sensor to detect and track objects smaller than an inch.
“The ultimate goal is to develop a THz radar with low size, weight and power requirements for easy field deployment, the first of its kind,” Mendis said.
Terahertz radar uses wavelengths of about 3 millimeters or less, helping it distinguish small objects at long distances, Riverside Research said.
“Typical approaches involve microwave radar, which usually employs frequencies too low to resolve small objects at long distances,” said O’Hara. “It is a fundamental physics problem. By using higher frequencies, we eliminate the resolution problem.”
The project builds on years of collaboration between Riverside Research and OSU on prototype terahertz systems. DARPA selected the team’s video proposal through its Expedited Research Implementation Series Marketplace, which seeks technologies with potential national security applications.
“We are excited to be working with DARPA to push the performance envelope on our next-generation THz radar,” said Josh Wetherington, director of spectrum warfare innovation at Riverside Research and the program manager.
“Like the lane assist or pedestrian detection technology in cars, the project deliverables could one day become critical components of control systems for situational awareness.”
For OSU, the project also provides hands-on experience for students and early-career researchers.
“DARPA-funded projects allow researchers to test their skills on some of the most advanced problems facing our nation today,” O’Hara said. “OSU is fortunate to have such an opportunity, and the students and researchers involved have a rare chance to make an impactful technological advance for our nation’s success.”