OmniPreSense has announced its first 2D radar sensor, the OPS243-C, with the capability for smart city applications such as vehicle and foot traffic monitoring and detecting people in a room.

Operating as both a Doppler and FMCW radar sensor, the OPS243-C can report the speed, direction and range of objects in its field of view, enabling systems to better visualize the environment and develop context for what is happening.

For example, a smart traffic monitor can understand the difference between a car passing on the street versus one making a right turn. A monitor for foot traffic can count the number of people in a conference room; with only one person present, it can keep the lights on. Other systems, such as robots or drones, can assess whether a target is a stationary wall or an approaching object.

The OPS243-C detects people at 20 m and vehicles 60 m away. It has a tight 20° beamwidth and draws less than 1.9 W power. The sensor uses the same simple API found on other OmniPreSense radar sensors and will have FCC/IC modular certification, lowering cost and improving time to market.

The OPS243-C, priced at $229, will ship in October.

“The OPS243-C continues our trend of providing increased radar sensor functionality. The additional data provides enhanced context to determine what is happening for smart city applications.” — Rob Frizzell, CEO and co-founder of OmniPreSense