Riverside Research, a national security nonprofit, and Oklahoma State University have been awarded funding from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to develop a next-generation radar sensor capable of detecting extremely small objects.

The project is led by principal investigator Dr. Rajind Mendis, senior research scientist at Riverside Research, and co-principal investigator Dr. John O'Hara, associate professor and PSO/Albrecht Naeter Professor of electrical engineering at OSU.

Their team will create a sensor that uses radar operating at terahertz frequencies, which are 10 to 100 times higher than typical radar systems. Higher frequencies enable finer resolution, allowing operators to detect and track objects smaller than 1 inch, which current technologies cannot achieve.

THz radar is well-suited to this challenge because it operates with wavelengths of roughly 3 millimeters or smaller, enabling systems to distinguish tiny objects at long distances.

"Typical approaches involve microwave radar, which usually employs frequencies too low to resolve small objects at long distances," O'Hara said. "It is a fundamental physics problem. By using higher frequencies, we eliminate the resolution problem."

This work builds on years of collaboration between Riverside Research and OSU to design prototype THz systems with real-world applications. The team’s video proposal was selected through the DARPA Expedited Research Implementation Series Marketplace, which identifies innovative solutions with strong potential impact for national security missions.

"We are excited to be working with DARPA to push the performance envelope on our next-generation THz radar," said Dr. Josh Wetherington, director of spectrum warfare innovation at Riverside Research and the program manager. "Like the lane assist or pedestrian detection technology in cars, the project deliverables could one day become critical components of control systems for situational awareness."

For OSU, the project underscores the university’s leadership in long-distance THz communications and sensing. It also provides hands-on experience for students and early-career researchers.

"DARPA-funded projects allow researchers to test their skills on some of the most advanced problems facing our nation today," O'Hara said. "OSU is fortunate to have such an opportunity, and the students and researchers involved have a rare chance to make an impactful technological advance for our nation’s success."

The collaboration between O'Hara and Mendis, both OSU alumni, continues the university’s history of groundbreaking THz research.

"The ultimate goal is to develop a THz radar with low size, weight and power requirements for easy field deployment, the first of its kind," Mendis said.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Frequently Asked Questions