Researchers have developed a radar signal processing technology that dramatically improves resolution without requiring expensive hardware upgrades, potentially transforming applications from autonomous vehicles to aerospace systems.
The innovation, developed by researchers at DGIST (Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology), enables existing radar systems to detect objects with nearly twice their normal precision by analyzing previously unused information embedded in radar signals.
The team discovered they could extract additional information from the “envelope” of radar signals – essentially the outline shape of the wave pattern. Their novel algorithm analyzes these contours to achieve nearly double the resolution through signal processing alone, without needing to expand the radar’s bandwidth.
The breakthrough is particularly significant because radar resolution typically requires expensive hardware upgrades or complex algorithms that dramatically increase system complexity. The new approach achieves better performance while maintaining the simplicity that makes radar systems practical for automotive and aerospace applications.
Current radar systems require resolution-enhancement technologies to improve object recognition precision, but existing solutions involve either increasing bandwidth or utilizing ultra-high-resolution algorithms with significant complexity. Both approaches result in higher costs and increased system complexity.
The researchers are now working to refine the technology for real-world applications. The work was supported by DGIST’s general project (D-PIC 4.0) and the National Research Foundation of Korea’s Basic Research Support Program.
“I am delighted that our work has been published in the IEEE Sensors Journal, one of the most prestigious journals in the fields of sensors and signal processing,” notes Dr. Bongseok Kim of the DGIST Automotive Technology Division. “We will continue to enhance this technology through follow-up research to enable its practical application in autonomous vehicles and industrial environments.”