Ultrasound sensors play a crucial role in robotics and radar applications, providing distance and velocity detection capabilities. Unlike radio frequency, ultrasound relies on sound waves for communication, allowing systems to operate at lower speeds without compromising range resolution. Typically mounted on a servo in traditional setups, ultrasound sensors face challenges related to mechanical movements, leading to potential failures and increased maintenance costs.

Another inherent drawback of ultrasound is its significant attenuation over distance compared to radio frequency, limiting its scanning range. To address these issues, we turned to the concept of beamforming, a technique widely used in RF and mm-Wave systems to enhance signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). By strategically manipulating phase delays among multiple transmitters and receivers, beamforming enables the creation of focused beams, boosting antenna gain and system performance without the need for mechanical adjustments.

Our solution involves designing an ultrasonic beamforming chip, leveraging the advantages of both ultrasound and beamforming approaches. This entails incorporating four transmitter sensors and one receiver sensor into the system, with beamforming exclusively implemented in the transmitters. While the current version of the system employs the reliable SH8MA4 sensor, its larger form factor (1cm diameter or 1.2 lambda) presents challenges resulting in sizable sidelobes as shown in the figure below.

To address this, future iterations will employ a smaller form factor sensor, like the MA40H1S-R, to optimize the system's performance. This strategic combination of ultrasound and beamforming technologies aims to achieve a cost-effective solution with enhanced range resolution, improved SNR, and beamforming feature for diverse applications.