Novelda Offers Two New, Improved Modules for Sensing and Monitoring

Novelda, a developer and manufacturer of adaptive smart sensors, announces two new modules–the X4M300 Presence Sensor for occupancy sensing and the X4M200 Respiration Sensor for non-contact respiration and vital-sign monitoring. Both modules have improvements in the performance, integration and functional capability of Novelda's ultra-wideband impulse radar system-on-chip (SoC) design, the company reports. These advances have also yielded a smaller-size, lower-power, lower-cost implementation that allows these modules to be readily deployed, the company adds.

The latest X4 SoC, which operates at center frequencies of 7.29 GHz or 8.748 GHz, has a configurable frame size and can reportedly operate 10x faster than previously. This enables a greater range of up to 10 m for presence detection, for a target with a 0.1 m2 cross-section, while offering a respiration monitoring zone of 0.4–5.0 m, for detecting breathing patterns or frequency when the target is otherwise still.

According to the company, the use of sensitive radar technology allows the sensors to see through most materials. This means, for example, the sensors can be hidden within walls or above ceilings for tamper-proof security or aesthetic reasons, and are not obstructed by furniture, bedding or clothes. The technology is also unaffected by dust, smoke, moisture or darkness, and functions reliably in harsh and dirty environments, the company notes.

For healthcare and wellness applications, the non-contact nature of the sensor’s operation allows unobtrusive vital-sign monitoring in medical environments, according to Novelda. In presence detection applications, the sensors are sensitive and discriminating, avoiding false detection due the movement of other objects and ensuring the lights stay on even when the occupant is only breathing, the company reports.

For more information, visit Novelda.

Sources: Press materials received from the company.