New LiDAR technology invented by University of Washington researchers integrates onto a computer chip and uses sound waves running over its surface to steer a laser beam, much like a searchlight, so self-driving cars can see objects such as pedestrians and other vehicles that are far in the distance. (Photo illustration courtesy of Bingzhao Li and Qixuan Lin) Devices that move and operate in physical space need sensors to read their environment. One such sensing technology, LiDAR, has many potential applications, but is often too large or too expensive to be a viable ...