Revolutionizing Phased Array Antennas with Novel Chip Designs.
Like a magician wielding a wand, phased array antennas direct concentrated radio beams with both precision and speed. Unlike traditional parabolic dishes, which pivot mechanically to aim their signals, phased arrays steer their signals electronically. They align individual radio waves to reinforce one another, thereby increasing bandwidth and enhancing point-to-point signal quality. In the realm of wireless communication, this improves data transmission. For radar and other sensors, it allows for tracking multiple moving targets—whether it’s an incoming missile or a child on a bike. And yet, despite this superior technical capability, the complexity of phased arrays has hindered widespread commercial adoption. “Fundamentally, you’re replacing a passive system with a complicated array of hundreds or even thousands of circuits,” says Matthew G. Anderson. “When that’s the case, the big challenge becomes power—and cost.”
Oso Semiconductor, a startup with roots at the University of California, Berkeley, has developed a novel beam-forming technology that leapfrogs the existing limitations of phased array antennas. Its disruptive innovation is a new approach to signal phasing that improves efficiency, thereby reducing the need for amplification. “That basic simplification of the circuit opens up a whole new class of chips that are more space- and power-efficient,” says Anderson, founder and CEO. With its new system design, Oso has set a path to offering products that provide upwards of a 4x improvement in efficiency over existing phased array antennas. “Our chips allow OEMs to put more antennas on an access point, while consuming less power—which means they can serve more data, and generate more revenue,” adds Anderson.
Oso Semiconductor’s innovation was inspired by Anderson’s doctoral work in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department at Berkeley. Recognizing the fundamental symmetry of phased arrays, Anderson honed a new algorithmic approach to phase shifting and combining that made the process less lossy, without adding distortion. This insight led to a simplified chip design with fewer amplifiers, which in turn allows for smaller power supplies and heat sinks. After identifying the technology’s potential across industries—such as satellite communications and advanced sensors—Anderson brought together a team of experienced engineers to deliver the innovation to OEMs.
Improved phased array antennas have broad applications. As satellite internet, advanced cellular, and radar markets expand, there is a growing need for extremely high bandwidth point-to-point radio links. For antenna installations with space and power limitations—whether on an airliner’s fuselage or beneath a drone—Oso’s simplified circuits allow increased throughput within the same power and cost footprint as conventional systems. For mobile advanced sensors, these more efficient phased arrays allow for higher resolution, improving the performance of automotive radars and other critical technologies.
“Phased array antennas are absolutely essential for the future, but there has been a disconnect between what we’re capable of doing and what is affordable and efficient to deploy commercially,” says Anderson. “With its efficiency and simplicity, Oso’s solution can accelerate this revolution of communication and sensing that we are seeing everywhere today.”