Integrated Photonics Looks to Advance Safety for Lidar

The history of radar (radio detection and ranging) dates back to the 1880s when renowned German physicist Heinrich Hertz showed that radio waves were reflected by metallic objects. Based on the principles demonstrated by Hertz, Christian Hülsmeyer, a German engineer, received a patent in 1906 for radar’s first practical application in maritime navigation. Radar developments then went into full swing prior to WWII for air defense purposes. With advancements in semiconductor technology, radar is now ubiquitous in a multitude of applications ranging from air traffic control to blind-spot detection in cars. Thanks to these advancements, radar technology has made travel by air, land, and water safer and more efficient, and it has prevented hundreds of thousands of accidents and fatalities.

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