Acconeer AB was incorporated in 2012 by the technology entrepreneurs Dr. Mikael Egard and Dr. Mats Ärlelid, Mårten Öbrink, Professor Lars-Erik Wernersson and Lund University to develop ultra-low power, high precision 3D radar sensors. In 2015, Acconeer raised SEK 27 million (~$3 million) in Series A funding. In 2016, Acconeer closed a SEK 60 million (~$6.8 million) Series B round. Existing shareholders contributed approximately 40% of the round leaving 60% for new investors including Jörgen Lantto, former CEO of Fingerprint Cards and Bert Nordberg, former CEO and Chairman of Sony Mobile. Later this year, the company plans to list its shares on Nasdaq First North to raise an additional $10 to $15 million. The company has 15 employees plus several consultants.

Coherent radar has high accuracy, but has high power consumption. Pulse radar has low power consumption, but has limited accuracy. Based on pulsed radar research started in 2007 at Lund University, Acconeer’s Pulsed Coherent Radar (PCR) combines the low power consumption of pulsed radar with the high accuracy of coherent radar, in a single component.

Acconeer’s A1 radar sensor is a complete, high-precision microwave radar system integrated on a single chip that enable radar functionality to be integrated in compact battery driven devices. The device operates in the 60GHz ISM band and includes all parts of the radar system, including antenna, RF and baseband, in a 5x5mm package. The company’s patent pending technology enables it to develop high frequency wavelet generators with very low power consumption, enabling the design of battery-powered high precision radar instruments.

The sensor has millimeter measurement accuracy and low power consumption. To enable fast and easy application development, the sensor is complemented with software algorithms for interpretation of the sensor data. Acconeer’s patented technology enable high-precision tracking of 3D objects, while consuming microwatts of power. The sensor functions in any lighting or ambient sound environment, unlike optical ranging solutions. The sensor’s radiowave will penetrate light material such as clothing, but not skin and can measure breathing rate or pulse.

Today, most radar solutions operate in the 24GHz or 77GHz bands and are designed for automotive applications such as blind spot detection, adaptive cruise control and collision warning. These solutions are complex and power hungry, and are not design for power and cost sensitive mobile devices.

Several companies offer radar sensors that are focused on emerging applications, however, they have limitations. Infineon offer a 24GHz Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar for distance and speed measurement; however, it uses an external antenna, only has cm accuracy and consumes a hefty 500mW. Novelda offers a 5.4-8.8GHz pulsed radar solution that offers sub-mm accuracy; however, it requires an external antenna and consumes 120mW @ 100 Hz update rates. Google has been exploring gesture control using its Soli 60GHz FMCW radar with mm accuracy, developed in partnership with Infineon; however, it uses a large 9x12.5mm package and consumes 54mW, which is too high for many applications. The 2 transmitter, 4 receiver solution is also expensive.

Using pico-second pulses, Acconeer’s 60GHz Pulsed Coherent Radar solution features mm accuracy in a small, cost-effective 5x5mm package with internal antenna. The device features low power consumption of <1mW @ 10Hz update rate or <5mW @100Hz. Range is up to 2 meters. The device can measure distance, detect movement and multiple objects, and can also be used for material identification, which opens up many new application possibilities.

Potential applications range from virtual reality and gaming to security and robot control. Typically, the sensor is used for high-accuracy distance measurements and presence detection or more advanced use cases such as gesture recognition and material identification in products such as wall stud finders, drones, robotics, mobile devices, wearables, security, industrial products, and vital signs monitors.

The A1 is fabricated by Globalfoundries in 40nm CMOS. Engineering samples came out in Q1’16 with production samples following in Q4’16. Production availability is anticipated by the end of Q1’17. Samples are currently under evaluation with approximately a dozen customers. The new capital will be used to fund the completion of the sensor for commercial launch and mass production, which is planned for early 2017.

Lars Lindell, CEO (previously VP Sales BU Modems at Ericsson)

Mats Ärlelid, Ph.D., Co-founder & Senior Researcher

Mikael Egard, Ph.D., Co-founder & Senior Researcher

Professor Lars-Erik Wernersson, Ph.D., Co-founder (professor in Nanoelectronics at Lund University, directing efforts in wavelet technology supported by the Swedish Research Council and the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research)