Asahi Kasei Begins Mass Production Of Camera-Less Radar Module For Fall Detection And Vital Sign Monitoring

Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) has started mass production of a millimetre-wave radar module that can detect falls, breathing, posture and position without the use of cameras or wearable sensors.

The AK5816AIM is an antenna-in-module (AiM) package that integrates both the radar transceiver chip and a 4×4 antenna array into a single 23mm x 23mm unit. By bundling the antenna into the module, AKM has removed what has traditionally been one of the main barriers to commercialising millimetre-wave radar products – the need for specialised radio-frequency antenna design expertise.

The module is aimed at household appliances, IoT monitoring systems and age-tech solutions, with a particular focus on environments where cameras are typically unwelcome, such as bathrooms and bedrooms.

Privacy-Driven Demand

The module addresses a growing tension in the home monitoring market. Ageing populations and rising pet ownership are driving demand for in-home surveillance, but conventional camera-based systems face resistance on privacy grounds. Wearable sensors, the main alternative, often compromise comfort and convenience.

Millimetre-wave (mmWave) radar offers a middle path. The technology can detect a person’s presence, movement and even breathing without relying on optical sensors, making it suited to non-contact monitoring in private spaces.

However, developing practical mmWave radar systems has historically required deep expertise in RF antenna design, which has slowed commercialisation and limited the range of companies able to bring products to market.

What The Module Does

The AK5816AIM is built around AKM’s AK5816 mmWave radar transceiver IC. Its multi-channel sensing capability and high angular resolution enable detection of position, motion, breathing, posture and other state changes in both people and pets.

By integrating the transceiver and antenna array into a single compact package, the module eliminates the antenna design step entirely. AKM argues this allows development teams without specialised RF knowledge to build products around the technology and bring them to market faster.

The company has already deployed the module in a real-world setting. Asahi Kasei Homes is using the AK5816AIM for non-contact, camera-less monitoring in bathrooms and living spaces within Hebel Village, a senior housing development.

Partner Ecosystem

AKM is working with a network of software and hardware partners to support camera-less monitoring solutions built on the AK5816AIM.

Gregg Rouse, President of AKM’s United States business unit, commented on the production milestone.

“With the start of mass production of the AK5816AIM, camera-less sensing technologies are entering a new phase, enabling wider deployment in everyday living environments,” Rouse explained.

“We hope to expand the adoption of these and other privacy-conscious monitoring solutions by collaborating with partners known for their expertise across key technologies. The response to the AK5816AIM at CES 2026 in Las Vegas was encouraging, and we intend to maintain that momentum.”

Partners include Aizip, whose collaboration with AKM received a Best of Sensors award at the Sensors Converge trade fair. Other partners in the ecosystem are Algorized, Sigma0 and Nisshinbo Micro Devices.

Together, the partners cover capabilities in AI-based detection, radar signal processing, development tools and production-ready 60 GHz sensor modules. Through these collaborations, AKM supports customers from initial application development through to mass-production design.

Technical Specifications

The AK5816AIM measures 23mm x 23mm and combines the AK5816 transceiver IC with a four-input, four-output antenna array. The module operates in the 60 GHz band and is designed for integration into residential equipment, IoT devices and monitoring systems for aged care environments.

The module’s multi-channel sensor architecture provides angular resolution sufficient to distinguish between different individuals or pets in a monitored space, as well as to detect fine-grained movements such as breathing patterns.

AKM is a Japan-based electronic components business operating within the Asahi Kasei Group’s Material sector. The company combines compound semiconductor technology used in magnetic sensors with ASIC and analogue circuit technology in silicon semiconductors. Its products serve markets including mobile communications, consumer electronics, automotive, household appliances and industrial equipment.

Further information on the AK5816AIM is available at AKM’s product page.

Last Updated on July 15, 2026 by Nick Ross