Researchers from Chongqing University and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China published a study in Light: Advanced Manufacturing on April 29, 2026, detailing a new method for high-speed motion tracking. The technique uses chirped power oscillation waves from dual swept lasers to encode motion information into interference signals for precise velocimetry.
The published research introduces a method to achieve high-speed motion tracking and velocimetry—the measurement of velocity—by utilizing chirped power oscillation waves. This approach marks a departure from traditional tracking methods by using the specific properties of light dispersion to capture movement data with high accuracy.
Encoding Motion via Dispersion-Controlled Lasers
The core of this new technology lies in the use of dispersion-controlled dual swept lasers. In optical physics, a “chirped” signal is one where the frequency of the wave changes over time. The research team, led by corresponding authors Yujia Li, Baicheng Yao, and Tao Zhu, demonstrated that by carefully tuning the difference in group delay dispersion between two laser beams, they could create a unique interference signal.
To understand this mechanism, one must consider group delay dispersion, a phenomenon where different frequencies of light travel through a medium at different speeds. By controlling this dispersion, the researchers can encode motion information directly into the power oscillations of the interference signal. Instead of simply measuring a single point of light, the system interprets the fluctuations in power to determine how an object is moving.
This method allows for the capture of motion data through the interference patterns created when the two laser beams interact. Because the information is embedded in the oscillations of the power signal itself, the system can track velocity and position with high precision, even in high-speed scenarios that might overwhelm standard optical sensors.
Applications in Robotics and Advanced Manufacturing
High-speed motion tracking is a foundational requirement for several critical industrial and scientific sectors. According to the study published in Light: Advanced Manufacturing, this technology has direct implications for advanced manufacturing, robotics, and modern physics. As industrial automation moves toward higher speeds and smaller scales, the ability to perform precise velocimetry becomes essential for maintaining quality control and operational safety.
In the field of robotics, precise tracking allows for more fluid and accurate movements, which is necessary for tasks ranging from micro-assembly to complex human-robot interaction. In manufacturing, where high-speed components must be monitored in real-time, the ability to encode motion into interference signals provides a way to observe processes without interfering with the production line itself.
The physics community also stands to benefit from these findings. Precise motion tracking is a critical underlying technology for modern physics experiments that require the observation of minute particle movements or high-velocity phenomena. The ability to use chirped power oscillations provides a new toolset for researchers attempting to measure motion in environments where traditional sensors fail to provide sufficient detail or speed.
A Multi-Institutional Scientific Initiative
The development of this tracking method was the result of a large-scale collaboration involving several prominent international research institutions. The primary research was conducted through the Laboratory of Optoelectronic Technology & System at Chongqing University in China, alongside the Key Laboratory of Optical Fiber Sensing and Communications at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.
The study also drew on expertise from several other global academic entities, including the Precision Nanometrology Laboratory at Tohoku University in Japan, the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, and the Photonics Research Centre at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. This cross-border cooperation involved a diverse team of researchers, including Wei Du, Yujia Li, Hao Wu, Lei Chen, Lei Gao, Baicheng Yao, Leilei Shi, Wei Gao, Lei Wei, Dongmei Huang, and Tao Zhu.
The publication of this work in Volume 7 of Light: Advanced Manufacturing suggests that the scientific community is increasingly looking toward complex laser-based interference patterns to solve the limitations of current motion-sensing hardware. As the demand for higher-speed, higher-accuracy tracking grows in both the commercial and scientific sectors, the integration of dispersion-controlled laser systems may become a standard in precision metrology.
