Being pioneers in silicon photonics and sensory technology, it is no surprise that Anello Photonics is on the list of the top 10 fastest-growing companies in the semiconductors industry. With years of experience in the field, Anello combines their strengths to deliver the next generation of navigation sensors. As a tech start-up based in Silicon Valley co-founded by an Intel Fellow, Mario Paniccia, a world expert in silicon photonics, Anello Photonics focuses on silicon photonics and inertial navigation.

“Advancements in technology are always around the corner. But there’s a major void that has yet to be filled – where high-quality meets low-cost in navigation sensors,” says Mario Paniccia, CEO of Anello Photonics. The brand’s mission is to realize access to high-performance sensors and their democratization for every possible application. “Our mission is to fill this void. Even better: we’ve developed something so compact, it can fit almost anywhere,” he concludes.

Anello’s navigation sensors are designed to deliver performance like never seen before. They have developed an ultra-low-loss on-chip waveguide manufacturing process with all the benefits of Optical Gyro performance integrated onto a silicon photonic circuit platform. In terms of performance, the dimensional volume is significantly reduced compared to a traditional FOG while maintaining a low drift in challenging environments. Apart from this, the integrated silicon photonics solution substantially reduces the cost compared to traditional FOGs of equivalent performance.

Another notable contribution by Anello is the patented silicon photonic chip. This patented silicon photonics integrated circuit replaces the discrete optical components such as couplers, modulators, and detectors found in a FOG. The integrated SIPHOG™ provides a massive reduction in component costs and a significant reduction in dimensional volume compared to an equivalent high-performance traditional Fiber Optic Gyro implementation.

Anello’s first-generation sensor was created for safety-critical navigation applications, especially in autonomous vehicles and aerospace. Like a traditional optical gyroscope, it provides proven low-noise and low-drift qualities at a production-friendly size and cost. It also has the power needed for a variety of applications. For instance, in automotive, SIPHOG™ functions at a 3-Sigma confidence level to maintain accurate localization. In consumer electronics, it is helpful in precise motion tracking for Augmented and Virtual Reality for fast response, low latency, and low drift. The solution has also found application in defense, where it aids in protecting military personnel from GPS denials such as jamming and spoofing.

With the development of the SiPhOG, they will change the Navigation industry and bring all the benefits of optical gyro performance onto an integrated silicon photonic circuit platform.

As a means to provide independent and accurate ground truth of the vehicle position, this sensor and IMU system improves the reliability of vehicle localization while simultaneously cutting down the cyber-security threats and environmental interference common to other localization sensors. The promise of accurate and survivable inertial navigation in a compact, low-cost, low-power form factor is attractive to numerous aerospace companies. Quite a handful of venture capitalists are interested in the systems Anello makes and are ready to invest in supporting Anello to realize its potential. New Legacy Ventures and Lockheed Martin are a few names on this list of interested parties.

“We are delighted to be part of the Anello team and excited to help bring this breakthrough integrated sensor technology to the Navigation and Consumer markets,” says Alex Wong, Board Partner of New Legacy Ventures.

Currently, Anello is engaged in managing trials with the top names in automotive, trucking, aerospace, and national security markets to take a leading position in the semiconductor market.