Development kit optimised for doppler-radar applications

Infineon Technologies Sense2GoL Pulse Development Kit, available now from Mouser, is a demonstration and evaluation platform based on the BGT24LTR11 Radar MMIC, controlled by the XMC4700 32-bit Arm Cortex-M4 Microcontroller. The MMIC operates in the 24GHz to 24.25GHz ISM band and is optimised for doppler-radar applications.

The kit enables users to implement and test various sensing applications at the 24GHz ISM band including motion detection and speed measurement. The kit functions in a pulsed mode, delivering an 18m detection range with a sensor power consumption smaller than 5mW. The kit comprises two boards, the radar front end board (SHIELD_BGT24LTR11) and the microcontroller baseboard (RADAR BB XMC4700). The baseboard enables current measurements and incorporates an SD card reader for storage and Arduino compatible pin connectors. The kit can be powered by USB, an external power supply, or external batteries.

The kit is pre-programmed with the company's DAVE development tool. A sample and hold topology is employed for the BGT24LTR11 to provide for low power operation by turning on the radar chip only through the data acquisition stage. The frequency stabilisation is achieved, utilising the integrated temperature compensation block (PTAT) in the RF MMIC. The board can be managed and configured from the Infineon Radar GUI (PC application GUI Windows XP/Vista/7/8/10) where the radar raw data can be observed and key radar parameters altered for optimum power consumption and detection performance.

Typical application arenas include security, indoor and outdoor lighting, smart home, automatic door opener, intelligent switches, and speed measurement.