MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATIONPUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION

7-3, Marunouchi 2-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 100-8310 JapanFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

No. 3585

Customer Inquiries

Media Inquiries

Information Technology R&D Center
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

Public Relations Division
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation

www.MitsubishiElectric.com/ssl/contact/company/rd/form.html

prd.gnews@nk.MitsubishiElectric.co.jp
www.MitsubishiElectric.com/news/

Mitsubishi Electric Develops Tomographic Imaging Technology to Visualize
Hidden Objects with Millimeter Accuracy
Experimental proof of tomographic imaging of moving objects using 300GHz terahertz waveNewly developed technology and application examples

TOKYO, March 29, 2023 – Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6503) announced today that it hasdeveloped what is believed to be the first industrial tomographic-imaging technology that uses a 300GHz
terahertz wave for one-shot, one-direction measurements at any depth, suitable for low-impact scanning of
biological organisms and moving objects with millimeter resolution.
X-ray scanning devices for such purposes are mainly limited to baggage screening in airports, train stations,stadiums, etc. to search for hazardous materials. Also, body-scan systems that use millimeter waves are largesized because they require 180-degree measurements while the person remains stationary, so their use in public
spaces is restricted mainly to airports. Other automated technologies for production and inspection lines arepromising to help solve labor shortages, but existing scanning equipment that use optical or infrared cameras
1/4

are limited to visual inspection, so food containers, for example, still must be opened for manual inspection.
Mitsubishi Electric’s new solution combines virtual focus-imaging technology, which uses terahertz waves
that have little effect on living organisms and enables the tomographic imaging of objects with a single
irradiation in one direction, and multi-mode beamforming technology, which combines multiple images toreduce miss-detections. The system can image moving targets with biological organisms, making it suitablefor walk-through security gates and non-destructive scanning on moving production lines. Furthermore,scanners can be made small enough size for installation in diverse locations.
Comparison with Conventional Technologies
Newly developed technology

Conventional 1Device

Terahertz array scanner*

X-ray scanner

ImagingTomography (3D & medium penetration)

Measurement
Moving objects

One-shot and one-direction(reflective)
Yes

Tomography(3D & strong penetration)
One-shot & one-direction(transparency)
Yes

Walkthrough-type
Product inspections
security gate
Parallel inspection

Baggage inspections
Single inspection

Conventional 2
Millimeter wave
scanner

Surface or projection
180-degree
circumferenceNo

Application
examplesPurposeBody scans
Single inspection* Scanner with multiple antenna elements arranged uniformlyFeatures
1)

Tomographic imaging using 300GHz terahertz waves with low impact on biological organisms- Terahertz array-type sensor with uniform multiple-antenna elements generates tomographic images
offering resolution within several millimeters.
- Tomographic imaging using 300GHz terahertz waves has been proven to have low biological impact.

Results of tomographic image test

2/4

Results of non-destructive inspection test (detection of metal bolt inside cup of noodles)

2)

Virtual-focus imaging of moving objects with one-shot, one-direction measurements- One-shot, one-direction beams focused on various points virtually produce reflected signals that canbe measured as imaging data, as opposed to conventional imaging with multiple irradiations of realbeams with various angles by controlling the phase of each antenna element.
- Single-measurement imaging is suitable for moving objects, walk-through security gates and nondestructive testing on production lines.

Comparison with conventional sensing scheme3)

Multi-mode beamforming suppresses miss-detections and enables downsized equipment- Broadband terahertz signals allow the formation of different (multi-mode) beamforms at eachfrequency to synthesize multiple images based on the resulting measurement data, unlike conventional
beamforming that requires large equipment deploying many antenna elements, which can cause missdetections ("ghosts") due to extra beams being generated when forming real beams.
3/4

- Using different frequencies to synthesize images helps to reduce miss-detections and allows equipment
to be downsized (the principle of which was presented at the 2021 IEICE General Conference).

Using multi-mode beamforming to mitigate false positives

Future Development
Mitsubishi Electric aims to integrate this technology in products envisioned for practical application, such as
walk-through security gates and non-destructive testing on production lines, aiming at earlycommercialization and service provision.
###About Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
With more than 100 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products, Mitsubishi ElectricCorporation (TOKYO: 6503) is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electricaland electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite
communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, energy, transportation and building equipment.
Mitsubishi Electric enriches society with technology in the spirit of its “Changes for the Better.” The company
recorded a revenue of 4,476.7 billion yen (U.S.$ 36.7 billion*) in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2022. For
more information, please visit www.MitsubishiElectric.com*U.S. dollar amounts are translated from yen at the rate of ¥122=U.S.$1, the approximate rate on the Tokyo
Foreign Exchange Market on March 31, 2022

4/4