Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices, lidar systems, and vehicles that include optical redirectors. An example lidar system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes at least one light-emitter device configured to transmit emission light into an environment. The receiver is configured to detect return light from the environment and includes a plurality of apertures, a plurality of photodetectors, and a plurality of optical redirectors. Each optical redirector is configured to optically couple a respective portion of return light from a respective aperture to at least one photodetector of the plurality of photodetectors. Each optical redirector also has a rotational orientation relative to other optical redirectors such that the redirection paths of optical redirectors that correspond to adjacent apertures are not coplanar with one another.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to optical systems and methods for their manufacture. An example method includes coupling a first surface of a light-emitter substrate to a reference surface of a carrier substrate. The method also includes registering a mold structure with respect to the reference surface of the carrier substrate. Furthermore, the method includes using the mold structure to form an optical material over at least a portion of the light-emitter substrate. The optical material is shaped according to a shape of the mold structure and includes at least one registration feature. The method also includes coupling an optical lens element to the optical material such that the optical lens element is registered to the at least one registration feature.

Abstract: One example device includes a rotor platform that rotates about an axis of rotation. The device also includes a rotor coil comprising a first plurality of conductive loops disposed along a planar mounting surface of the rotor platform. The device also includes a stator platform and a stator coil comprising a second plurality of conductive loops disposed along a planar mounting surface of the stator platform. The rotor coil and the stator coil are coaxially arranged about the axis of rotation. The stator coil remains within a first predetermined distance to the rotor coil in response to rotation of the rotor platform. The device also includes a magnetic core extending along the axis of rotation and through the stator coil. The magnetic core remains within a second predetermined distance to the stator coil in response to rotation of the rotor platform.

Abstract: Example embodiments relate to light detectors for nearby object detection in light detection and ranging (lidar) devices. An example embodiment includes a lidar device. The lidar device includes a light emitter configured to emit a light signal at a first time. The lidar device also includes a light detector configured to detect the emitted light signal. Additionally, the lidar device includes a biasing circuit configured to modify a detector bias using a bias signal. The bias signal ramps the detector bias from a first bias level at the first time to a second bias level at a second time. The second time is separated from the first time by a ramp duration. The ramp duration is sufficient to prevent any internal feedback within the lidar device caused by the emitted light signal from saturating the light detector or detection circuitry associated with the light detector.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology employ sensors having high speed rotating mirror assemblies. For instance, the sensors may be Lidar sensors configured to detect people and other objects in an area of interest. A given mirror assembly may have a triangular or other geometric cross-sectional shape. The reflective faces of the mirror assembly may connect along edges or corners. In order to minimize wind drag and torque issues, the corners are rounded, filleted, beveled, chamfered or otherwise truncated. Such truncation may extend the length of the mirror side. The mirror assembly may employ one or more beam stops, light baffles and/or acoustic/aerodynamic baffles. These sensors may be employed with self-driving or manual driven vehicles or other equipment. The sensors may also be used in and around buildings.

Abstract: A vehicle having a communication system is disclosed. The system includes two electrical couplings, coupled by way of a rotary joint having a bearing waveguide. Each electrical coupling includes an interface waveguide configured to couple to external signals. Each electrical coupling also includes a waveguide section configured to propagate electromagnetic signals between the interface waveguide and the bearing waveguide of the rotary joint. Additionally, the rotary joint is configured to allow one electrical coupling to rotate with respect to the other electrical coupling. An axis of rotation of the rotary joint is defined by a center of a portion of the waveguides. Yet further, the rotary joint allows electromagnetic energy to propagate between the waveguides of the electrical couplings.

Abstract: A vehicle having a communication system is disclosed. The system includes two electrical couplings, coupled by way of a rotary joint having a bearing waveguide. Each electrical coupling includes an interface waveguide configured to couple to external signals. Each electrical coupling also includes a waveguide section configured to propagate electromagnetic signals between the interface waveguide and the bearing waveguide of the rotary joint. Additionally, the rotary joint is configured to allow one electrical coupling to rotate with respect to the other electrical coupling. An axis of rotation of the rotary joint is defined by a center of a portion of the waveguides. Yet further, the rotary joint allows electromagnetic energy to propagate between the waveguides of the electrical couplings.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology employ sensors having high speed rotating mirror assemblies. For instance, the sensors may be Lidar sensors configured to detect people and other objects in an area of interest. A given mirror assembly may have a triangular or other geometric cross-sectional shape. The reflective faces of the mirror assembly may connect along edges or corners. In order to minimize wind drag and torque issues, the corners are rounded, filleted, beveled, chamfered or otherwise truncated. Such truncation may extend the length of the mirror side. The mirror assembly may employ one or more beam stops, light baffles and/or acoustic/aerodynamic baffles. These sensors may be employed with self-driving or manual driven vehicles or other equipment. The sensors may also be used in and around buildings.

Abstract: Aspects of the technology employ sensors having high speed rotating mirror assemblies. For instance, the sensors may be Lidar sensors configured to detect people and other objects in an area of interest. A given mirror assembly may have a triangular or other geometric cross-sectional shape. The reflective faces of the mirror assembly may connect along edges or corners. In order to minimize wind drag and torque issues, the corners are rounded, filleted, beveled, chamfered or otherwise truncated. Such truncation may extend the length of the mirror side. The mirror assembly may employ one or more beam stops, light baffles and/or acoustic/aerodynamic baffles. These sensors may be employed with self-driving or manual driven vehicles or other equipment. The sensors may also be used in and around buildings.

Abstract: Computing devices, systems, and methods described in various embodiments herein may relate to a light detection and ranging (lidar) system. An example computing device could include a controller having at least one processor and at least one memory. The at least one processor is configured to execute program instructions stored in the at least one memory so as to carry out operations. The operations include receiving information identifying an environmental condition surrounding a vehicle, the environmental condition being at least one of fog, mist, snow, dust, or rain. The operations also include determining a range of interest within a field of view of the lidar system based on the received information. The operations also include adjusting at least one of: a return light detection time period, sampling rate, or filtering threshold, for at least a portion of the field of view based on the determined range of interest.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices, lidar systems, and vehicles that include optical redirectors. An example lidar system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes at least one light-emitter device configured to transmit emission light into an environment of the lidar system. The receiver is configured to detect return light from the environment and includes a plurality of apertures, a plurality of photodetectors, and a plurality of optical redirectors. Each optical redirector is configured to optically couple a respective portion of return light from a respective aperture to at least one photodetector of the plurality of photodetectors. At least one of the optical redirectors includes an optically isolating coating.

Abstract: A vehicle having a communication system is disclosed. The system includes two electrical couplings, coupled by way of a rotary joint having a bearing waveguide. Each electrical coupling includes an interface waveguide configured to couple to external signals. Each electrical coupling also includes a waveguide section configured to propagate electromagnetic signals between the interface waveguide and the bearing waveguide of the rotary joint. Additionally, the rotary joint is configured to allow one electrical coupling to rotate with respect to the other electrical coupling. An axis of rotation of the rotary joint is defined by a center of a portion of the waveguides. Yet further, the rotary joint allows electromagnetic energy to propagate between the waveguides of the electrical couplings.

Abstract: In one example, a vehicle includes a platform and a yaw sensor mounted on the platform. The yaw sensor provides an indication of a yaw rate of rotation of the yaw sensor. The vehicle also includes an actuator that rotates the platform. The vehicle also includes a controller coupled to the yaw sensor and the actuator. The controller receives the indication of the yaw rate from the yaw sensor. The controller also causes the actuator to rotate the platform (i) along a direction of rotation opposite to a direction of the rotation of the yaw sensor and (ii) at a rate of rotation based on the yaw rate of the yaw sensor. The controller also estimates a direction of motion of the vehicle in an environment of the vehicle based on at least the rate of rotation of the platform.

Abstract: A vehicle having a communication system is disclosed. The system includes two electrical couplings, coupled by way of a rotary joint having a bearing waveguide. Each electrical coupling includes an interface waveguide configured to couple to external signals. Each electrical coupling also includes a waveguide section configured to propagate electromagnetic signals between the interface waveguide and the bearing waveguide of the rotary joint. Additionally, the rotary joint is configured to allow one electrical coupling to rotate with respect to the other electrical coupling. An axis of rotation of the rotary joint is defined by a center of a portion of the waveguides. Yet further, the rotary joint allows electromagnetic energy to propagate between the waveguides of the electrical couplings.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for occlusion detection. One example method involves a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) device scanning at least a portion of an external structure within a field-of-view (FOV) of the LIDAR device. The LIDAR device is physically coupled to the external structure. The scanning comprises transmitting light pulses toward the external structure through an optical window, and receiving reflected light pulses through the optical window. The reflected light pulses comprise reflections of the transmitted light pulses returning back to the LIDAR device from the external structure. The method also involves detecting presence of an occlusion that at least partially occludes the LIDAR device from scanning the FOV based on at least the scan of the at least portion of the external structure.

Abstract: A sensing device includes a stationary portion and a rotating portion. The rotating portion is spaced apart from the stationary portion by a gap and is configured to rotate relative to the stationary portion. The rotating portion includes one or more sensors that generate data. A communication interface in the rotating portion is configured to encode the data with error correction codes to provide encoded data, modulate a radio frequency (RF) signal that includes a plurality of sub-carriers with the encoded data to provide a data-modulated RF signal (e.g., an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) signal), and transmit the data-modulated RF signal to the stationary portion via a wireless data transformer. The wireless data transformer includes a first conductive structure in the stationary portion and a second conductive structure in the rotating portion. The first and second conductive structures are inductively coupled together across the gap.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to devices, lidar systems, and vehicles that include optical redirectors. An example lidar system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitter includes at least one light-emitter device configured to transmit emission light into an environment of the lidar system. The receiver is configured to detect return light from the environment and includes a plurality of apertures, a plurality of photodetectors, and a plurality of optical redirector elements. Each optical redirector element is configured to optically couple a respective portion of return light from a respective aperture to at least one photodetector of the plurality of photodetectors.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and devices having a rotatable mirror assembly. An example system includes a housing and a rotatable mirror assembly. The rotatable mirror assembly includes a plurality of reflective surfaces, a shaft defining a rotational axis, and a mirror body coupling the plurality of reflective surfaces to the shaft. The mirror body includes a plurality of flexible support members. The rotatable mirror assembly also includes a coupling bracket configured to removably couple the rotatable mirror assembly to the housing. The system also includes a transmitter configured to emit emission light into an environment of the system after interacting with at least one reflective surface of the plurality of reflective surfaces. The system additionally includes a receiver configured to detect return light from the environment after interacting with the at least one reflective surface of the plurality of reflective surfaces.