LEAP Photonics’ revolutionary chip-based LiDAR technology eliminates bulky mechanical components using sound waves, achieving 50x size reduction and 10x cost savings. This breakthrough enables compact robots and drones to deliver life-saving medicines, assist in eldercare, and perform search-and-rescue operations that were previously impossible with traditional systems.
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Bingzhao Li
Bingzhao Li is the co‑founder and CEO of LEAP Photonics, where he directs the development of solid‑state acousto‑optic beam‑steering chips for applications ranging from LiDAR to cold‑atom quantum computing. Li earned a B.S. in electrical engineering from the University of Minnesota and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington, where he then served as a postdoctoral researcher. His academic work spans integrated photonics, acousto‑optic devices, and the heterogeneous integration of novel materials with silicon photonics.
TECHNOLOGY
Critical Need
Current LiDAR systems rely on bulky mechanical components that prevent their widespread adoption in compact robotics applications. While LiDAR technology delivers superior accuracy and reliability for 3D perception, existing systems are too large, heavy, and expensive for smaller robots and drones that need enhanced mobility and versatility. This size limitation creates a significant barrier preventing life-saving applications like medical delivery drones, search-and-rescue robots, and other compact autonomous systems from reaching their full potential in serving remote communities and hazardous environments.
Technology Vision
LEAP Photonics uses integrated acousto-optic beam steering (AOBS) technology that replaces mechanical moving parts with sound waves generated on a semiconductor chip to steer laser beams. This solid-state approach eliminates the size constraints of traditional mechanical scanning systems, enabling a 50-fold reduction in size and weight while achieving 10-fold cost reduction. The technology allows entire LiDAR systems to be integrated onto a single chip, making high-performance 3D sensing accessible for compact robotics applications previously limited by conventional LiDAR's bulk and expense.
Potential for Impact
Miniaturized LiDAR technology will democratize advanced 3D perception across industries, enabling robots to assist elderly individuals in independent living facilities, enhance surgical precision, and deliver healthcare resources to underserved communities. Search-and-rescue drones could navigate disaster zones safely, while autonomous systems monitor hazardous environments and inspect critical infrastructure. Affordable LiDAR will accelerate robotics research and education, fostering innovation that creates a more inclusive, technologically advanced society where life-saving autonomous systems become accessible to communities worldwide.