Ultrasonic ToF sensor platform handles range-sensing tags to enable social distancing

TDK Corporation announces the worldwide availability of the Chirp CH101 ultra-low power integrated ultrasonic Time-of-Flight (ToF) range sensor platform solution, which includes the CH101 MEMS sensor, sensor modules, and developer kits. Chirp’s MEMS ultrasonic technology leverages a proprietary Time-of-Flight (ToF) range sensor in a 3.5 mm x 3.5 mm package that combines a MEMS ultrasonic transducer with a power-efficient digital signal processor (DSP) on a low-power mixed-signal ASIC. As the first commercially available MEMS-based ultrasonic ToF sensor, it is ultra-low power, compact, immune to lighting conditions and target composition/color, has a configurable Field-of-View (FoV), and a flexible DSP capable of handling a variety of ultrasonic signal-processing algorithms.

The CH101 enables flexible industrial design options for a broad range of use-case scenarios, including range-finding, presence/proximity sensing, object-detection/avoidance, material composition, as well as wearable range-sensing tags to enable social distancing and contact tracing to help people remain safely distanced from one another, during COVID-19 and other scenarios.

Sensor platform solution:

• CH101: The CH101 MEMS sensor provides accurate range measurements to targets up to 1.2m away. Using ultrasonic time-of-flight measurements, the sensor works in any lighting condition, including full sunlight, and provides millimeter-level accuracy, independent of the target’s color and optical transparency.
• DK-CH101: Developer Kit for prototyping with one or more ToF sensors. The DK-CH101 includes one CH101 with the option to add up to four additional ultrasonic modules.
• EV_MOD_CH101-03-01: Easy-to-use module for rapid integration and evaluation of hardware designs. Different acoustic housings available to adjust the field of view.
• MOD_CH101-03-02: Complete module solution with a 45° FoV acoustic housing and IP5 particle ingress filter for rapid mass production and accelerated time to market

Ensuring safe social distancing in the workplace is one piece of the puzzle in the age of COVID-19. Tracking-solution providers can use Chirp ultrasonic ToF sensors to detect proximity breaches and provide warnings before crossing social distancing guidelines. Chirp provides a complete hardware and software reference design to make it easy for solution providers to quickly incorporate ultrasonic range-finding technology into their tracking solutions.