Motion detector with distance information.

InnoSenT GmbH is adding a new motion detector to its portfolio. The IMD-2000 is ideally suited for simple contactless control applications in the areas of building technology, automation, and safety equipment. The sensor’s technical characteristics and design optimize the functionality of conventional motion detectors and facilitate their use.

This is the second product of the new ‘InnoSenT Motion Detectors’ series (IMD). It is characterised by its considerable ease of use and the system level suitable for the customer group. Customers benefit from radar solutions based on the plug-and-play principle and that are easy to commission. They require little configuration work, which is usually limited to adapting them to customer-specific requirements.  This is due to the integrated signal processing, which optimally analyses the raw radar data for simple sensor applications. The system can be installed and connected in just a few steps. Customers use the outputted signals directly for trigger functions thanks to object or target lists as well as suitable interfaces. They hardly have to deal with the complex technology and data analysis. This makes radar more accessible to the market, so more and more industries benefit from the technology’s advantages.

In contrast to InnoSenT’s previous solutions for motion detection, the product is the first to provide distance information. Through the indication of distances, it is possible to limit the area in which a reaction will be triggered.

The IMD-2000 also impresses with its design – its small dimensions enable the sensor to be installed in flat or narrow casings. The built-in signal-processing unit also saves customers additional development work in order to integrate the radar. InnoSenT offers the features at an attractive price. Due to the further development of radar technology in recent years, the company has managed to provide the sensor technology at a lower and lower price despite further technical enhancements.

Radar-based motion detection is proving its usefulness in various industries. It opens doors, controls lights, or is part of security systems. But escalators or ticket machines also use sensors. The technology is also used to control lighting elements.

The sensor detects the movement of persons or objects by means of radar waves. This way, it is possible to control devices without contact and in an automated manner. In the field of building technology, this translates into a considerable boost in efficiency, since, for example, doors can be opened, lights switched on or the toilet lid can be opened only when necessary. As a security application, the system triggers an alarm when there are people in the detection area. The further developments are making motion detection increasingly interesting and paving the way for new possible uses. Among other things, there are little radars are in ticket machines to disable standby operation when approaching persons are detected.

Motion sensors have been part of the InnoSenT product portfolio since the company was founded in 1999. But radar technology is advancing rapidly. The company felt it was time to optimise this simple and popular radar application. The newly developed product harnesses the knowledge gained from customers’ practical use, the technological state of the art, and the radar experts’ many years of development experience.

‘We are driven by the desire to make our own technology even better. This applies not only to product innovations, but also to already established radar applications. Because we now have completely new possibilities. This starts with the materials, concerns the technical performance, and ends with signal processing’, says Cyrus Nabavinegad, Product Owner at InnoSenT, in describing the driving factors behind the newly developed product, and he adds: ‘The IMD-2000 is the best example of this. Thanks to additional distance information, the motion detector offers greater functionality at the lowest-possible price. The system’s integrated signal processing also makes it attractive to a new customer group. It is a strong competitor to existing CW radar or infrared sensors.’

The 24 GHz system is equipped with common interfaces for better compatibility. The signal-processing unit also simplifies the use and integration of the radar component. The sensor detects even slow movements and determines objects’ and persons’ direction of movement and distance to the radar antenna. This information is outputted via a target list via UART. For easier configuration, InnoSenT provides an EVAL kit with a software GUI.

This makes it possible to limit the detection area, which leads to a significantly improved false alarm rate in security applications, for example. As a door opener, the sensor can ignore cross-traffic or, for escalator control, disregard trains in further distances. This functional expansion of the small sensor now enables needs-based control for many applications.

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Radar system detects filling levels.

The radar experts at InnoSenT GmbH have developed a new system for focused distance measurement. The iSYS-6030 is the new edition of the successful iSYS-6003 filling-level radar. The product update is more economical, faster, and more accurate than its predecessor. The sensor’s features are adapted to the application of filling-level measurement and collision avoidance. The technical enhancements also extend the scope of applications.

Using contactless radar detection, the product accurately detects the filling level of a manufacturing or storage container. The iSYS-6030 radar system sporadically determines the distance between the sensor and an object’s surface. Thanks to its narrow antenna orientation, the product has a focused radar beam for high-precision measurements.

The iSYS-6030 detects a wide variety of materials regardless of their properties and reflection characteristics: Whether cohesive or coarse bulk materials, fine powder, granulate, slow-flowing liquids, or viscous pastes, the system detects any of these materials precisely thanks to its 60 GHz radar technology.

The new product handles the measurement of filling levels even in challenging indoor and outdoor measuring environments. Extreme temperatures, dust, fog, steam, formation of foam, vibrations, or pressure do not impede radar detection. Due to its focused field of view of 6° in azimuth and elevation, the system is also suitable for use in narrow vessels, asymmetrical special structures, or containers with internal mixing systems installed. The iSYS-6030 also provides reliable measurement results in this area by means of sporadic radar detection.

The robust technology is not susceptible to interference due to aggressive filling materials, harsh work environments, or dirt. No regular maintenance is necessary. This makes the product well-suited for use in many different sectors, such as the water, energy, construction materials, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, and environmental technology industries.

While the predecessor product was primarily focused on determining filling levels, the iSYS-6030 boasts a further area of application: thanks to its continuous and reliable distance monitoring, the system is ideally suited for collision protection.

Thanks to technical optimisation, the new product enables faster measuring cycles. The system is booted up and ready to collect data within 90 ms. The update rate in single-target mode is only 20 ms. This enables intervals to be monitored in real time and timely warnings in the event of an impending collision.

In another application, the radar helps to initiate safety measures such as speed reduction when a predefined zone is reached. The user defines the zone individually using the distance information. The iSYS-6030 radar system provides information on when the safety distance is neared or the zone is reached.

Integrating such a system proves beneficial not only with semi-autonomous and autonomous vehicles, but also for controlling complex systems. The radar system continuously collects accurate measurement data. These are useful in maintaining minimum distances and precise positioning. At port facilities, this enables a distance between cranes, transport units, buildings, or containers to thus be determined on site with millimetre precision.

The iSYS-6030 radar system operates in the frequency band from 57 to 64 GHz. The sensor is compact and equipped with a signal-processing unit and a dome-shaped radome. The radar component can thus be easily integrated into end products or customer housings. The measurement data (signal strength and distance) are provided as a target list via a UART interface. The maximum range is 40 metres.

Customers choose between two detection variants, depending on the application: single-target and multi-target mode. This way, the system measures the distance to the object surface either at a single point or at different points within the detection area. The radar distinguishes between two targets with the same radar cross-section with a resolution of 12 cm.

The low deviation rate of ±0.1% ensures outstanding precision even with increasing distance between the object and the sensor. The system can be operated in a temperature range of -40 to +85° C.

Since the new system has the same structural design, it can directly replace the old iSYS-6003 product version and offers useful enhancements to existing customers.

‘We have made significant progress in radar development in recent years. In addition, we have learned quite a bit about our customers’ needs through the practical use of our filling-level radar. We thus decided to optimise the system’, explains Product Manager Dr Eva Buchkremer regarding the product update, and she adds:

‘Compared to its predecessor, the iSYS-6030 is more energy-efficient and accurate, longer-range and faster. We thus provide our customers with greater flexibility in using the product. We also offer more customisation options. Its technical features make the new system the ideal radar solution in industry for avoiding collisions and measuring filling levels.’

Using the user manual and the API software protocol, the customer adapts the radar detection to their intended purpose. For example, they can limit the range or use the signal strength setting as a filter. In addition, customers have the option of configuring the effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP) in 1 dBm increments, for example in order to comply with technical limits required for approval purposes.

The system also has four digitally, freely assignable and programmable outputs. These enable simple control tasks and can be used as targeted signal triggers. For easy integration and configuration of the sensor, InnoSenT also provides an evaluation kit with a GUI.

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