NEXT Semiconductor provides space‑qualified System‑on‑Chip platforms that integrate direct RF sampling, digital beamforming, and on‑chip AI inference for ultra‑wideband antenna arrays and LiDAR sensors. The 200 GS/s antenna processor and full‑waveform LiDAR SoC enable high‑resolution 3‑D perception and communications with low size, weight, and power for satellite, aerospace, automotive and UAV applications.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Satellite and autonomous vehicle platforms require ultra‑wideband sensing and signal‑processing capabilities that can operate in harsh, power‑constrained environments. Conventional RF front‑ends and LiDAR processors are bulky, consume excessive power, and lack the integration needed for next‑generation flat‑panel antenna arrays and high‑resolution 3‑D perception. This limits system designers’ ability to meet low‑SWaP (size, weight, power) targets while maintaining the bandwidth and latency required for real‑time AI workloads.
Solution
NEXT Semiconductor delivers purpose‑built System‑on‑Chip (SoC) platforms that merge direct RF sampling, adaptive digital beamforming, and on‑chip AI inference into a single, space‑qualified package. The antenna processor operates at 200 GS/s, enabling wideband digital conversion and real‑time beam steering for flat‑panel array (FPA) antennas used in satellite constellations and ground terminals. The LiDAR processor SoC (NXLR1) captures full waveform data at high sample rates, providing precise distance and reflectivity information for automotive ADAS and autonomous drones. By consolidating RF front‑end, ADC, DSP, and AI blocks, the solutions dramatically reduce size, weight, and power while delivering the throughput needed for high‑resolution sensing and communications. The hardware is delivered with a secure supply‑chain model and integrates via standard industry interfaces for rapid system integration.
Target Audience
Primary customers are satellite network manufacturers, aerospace and defense contractors, and automotive/ UAV OEMs that require high‑performance, low‑SWaP sensing and communications solutions for next‑generation platforms.
Features
- 200 GS/s antenna processor SoC with direct RF sampling and programmable digital beamforming for low‑SWaP flat‑panel arrays
- Full‑waveform capture LiDAR processor (NXLR1) supporting high‑resolution 3‑D perception in automotive and UAV applications
- Integrated AI‑inspired inference engine enabling on‑chip processing of sensor data for real‑time decision making
- Space‑qualified design hardened against radiation, temperature extremes, and vibration for satellite and defense use cases
- Consolidated RF front‑end, high‑speed ADC, DSP, and AI blocks in a single silicon die, reducing BOM and power consumption
- Standardized high‑speed I/O (e.g., JESD204B/C, LVDS) and industry‑compliant interfaces (e.g., PCIe, Ethernet) for seamless system integration
- Over 30 patented SoC technologies covering high‑speed conversion, beamforming algorithms, and low‑power AI acceleration