Getting Started With xWRL6432
Table of Contents
The xWRL6432 enables low-power 60GHz mmWave radar designs for automotive, industrial, and personal electronics applications. On this page you will find links to all the resources you need to get started evaluating this new low-power radar solution.
Check out our blog post for an overview of how low-power 60GHz sensors can enable next-generation sensing.
About the xWRL6432
The xWRL6432 features a 57-64GHz FMCW transceiver with 3 receive channels and 2 transmit channels, capable of detecting signals up to 25m away. The device also features an integrated ARM M4F Core and a TI Radar Hardware Accelerator for FFT, Log Magnitude, and CFAR operations. This devices features low power modes, enabling battery-powered radar applications. For more info, explore the resources below.
xWRL6432 Resources and Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Datasheet and Samples | IWRL6432 Product PageAWRL6432 Product Page |
| Evaluation Boards | IWRL6432BOOST Product PageAWRL6432BOOST Product Page |
| Evaluation Software | SDK for xWRL6432Radar Toolbox application-specific demos |
| Evaluate Radar Parameters | Sensing Estimator |
| Learn about Radar | Radar Academy |
About the xWRL6432AOP
For those interested in an all in one Antenna-On-Package (AOP) solution, we also offer the xWRL6432AOP. This allows for an even smaller form factor due to no additional PCB space being needed for antennas. This device has all the same standard features found in the xWRL6432
xWRL6432AOP Resources and Links
| Resource | Link |
|---|---|
| Datasheet and Samples | IWRL6432AOP Product Page |
| Evaluation Boards | IWRL6432AOPEVM Product Page |
| Evaluation Software | SDK for xWRL6432AOPRadar Toolbox application-specific demos |
| Evaluate Radar Parameters | Sensing Estimator |
| Learn about Radar | Radar Academy |
Getting Started With xWRL6432
About Radar Evaluation
There are three major components to TI’s radar demonstrations. These are the Chirp Configuration, Device Binary, and Visualizer. A general evaluation workflow is as follows:
Chirp Configuration
Fundamentally, mmWave FMCW radars transmit pulses called chirps which, after reflected off of a target, can be used to determine the target’s range, velocity, and azimuth. 
By tuning the physical characteristics of these chirps (such as frequency slope and number of chirps), a radar’s range, resolution, and power consumption can be optimized. TI mmWave radar devices store chirp characteristics in Chirp Configuration files. The chirp configuration file may also contain parameters for tuning the on-board object tracker and human/non-human classifier, or additional parameters for application specific modifications. Chirp configurations are uploaded to the device over UART at runtime, allowing for
chirp and demo modifications without needing to reflash the device with a new binary. For more information on radar and chirp theory, visit the Radar Academy.
Application Binary
Raw data from these reflected chirps are processed on-device by a signal chain on the application binary. This firmware is flashed onto the device, and processes raw radar data into real-time position and velocity information. This information can optionally be run through additional signal chains such as the object tracker and human/non-human classifier. Once processed, the device will begin sending this real-time position and velocity information in the TLV format over UART to the user’s computer to be visualized. Information on parsing this TLV format can be found in our Understanding UART Data Guide.
Visualizers
Visually verifying the radar’s output in real-time is useful for evaluation. Visualizers can take the EVM’s UART output and render the position, tracking, and classification information in 3D space. A general-purpose visualizer is found in the SDK, but demo-specific visualizers can be found in the Radar Toolbox.
xWRL6432 Quickstart Guide
For a step-by-step video of the information below, watch the Out-of-box tutorial
Out-of-box demo tutorial for xWRLx432 evaluation modules | 
1. Install Software
To get started, you’ll need to install the latest version of the mmWave low-power SDK, and the EVM drivers.
| Tool | Version | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| TI mmWave SDK | 5.x.x.x (xWRLx432) | Download MMWAVE-L-SDK 5.x.x.x |
| XDS110 Drivers | Latest | Bundled with Code Composer Studio (CCS) |
⚠️ The latest SDK no longer supports ES1.0 devices. If you have an ES1.0 device you must use SDK 5.3.0.2. Refer to this guide to check the silicon revision of your device.
2. Setup Demo Hardware / Software
Connect your EVM to the micro USB port. You do not need to connect to the barrel jack.
Navigate to the MMWAVE-L-SDK download location and run the Low Power Radar Visualizer. The visualizer will be located in
<MMWAVE_SDK5_INSTALL_DIR>\tools\visualizer\Low_power_visualizer_5.x.x.x\visualizer.exe
3. Flash Application Binary
Open the “Flash” tab in the visualizer, and select the COM Port of the EVM. It should be automatically detected. If not, look for the “XDS110 Class Application/User UART” COM port in your Device Manager, and select this port in the GUI.
📝 NOTE
If you don’t see the correct COM ports in the Device Manager, you need to install the XDS 110 drivers listed in the Install Software section above.
Then, set the baud rate to 115200. It should be automatically detected.
Finally, select the XWRL6432 in the drop down. It should be automatically detected.
Place the device into Flashing Mode by setting the switches as shown in the visualizer.
Then, toggle the reset button (circled in green) to latch in the mode.
Finally, press “Switch Settings Confirmed”
📝 NOTE
For more help on device setup, follow the steps in the EVM Setup Guide for your specific EVM.Select the desired device binary. Options are:
- Presence and Motion Tracking Image (Recommended)
- Range-Doppler Image
- Custom image
📝 NOTE
If you already have a application image you’d like to use, select “Load Config from PC” and upload it to the visualizer. Additional demo binaries can be found in<MMWAVE_SDK5_INSTALL_DIR>\examples\mmw_demo\motion_and_presence_detection\prebuilt_binaries, or in theprebuilt_binariesfolder of any Radar Toolbox demo. Be sure to use the<BINARY_NAME>.release.appimagerather than the<BINARY_NAME>.debug.appimage.Select the “FLASH” button. Upon a successful flash, you see the following appear on the bottom of the flashing page:
4. Send Chirp Configuration
Move to the “Configuration Dashboard” tab in the visualizer. A pop up will appear which instructs switching the device into functional mode.
Place the device into Functional Mode by setting the switches as shown in the visualizer. For more help on device setup, follow the steps in the EVM Setup Guide for your specific EVM.
Then, toggle the reset button (circled in green) to latch in the mode.
In the “Configuration Dashboard” tab, first confirm the COM port and baud rate are correct. Then, under “Configuration Selection”, select the configuration that most closely fits your application. The options are:
- Object Tracking (general-purpose)
- High Performance Motion Detection
- Low Power Presence Detection
- Automated Parking
📝 NOTE
If you already have a configuration you’d like to use, select “Load Config from PC” and upload it to the visualizer. Additional chirp configurations can be found in<MMWAVE_SDK5_INSTALL_DIR>\examples\mmw_demo\<APPLICATION BINARY>\profiles\xwrL64xx-evm, or in thechirp_configsfolder of any Radar Toolbox demo.Finally, select “Send Selected Config”.
📝 NOTE
Only the Presence Detection configuration enables the enhanced presence and motion features by default. Please refer to<MMWAVE_SDK5_INSTALL_DIR>\docs\MotionPresenceDetectionDemo_documentation.pdffor more information about enabling these enhanced features through the CLI command guiMonitor.
You will see the configuration’s commands being sent in the “Device Configuration Input” tab. 
5. View Plots
Once commands are sent, the Visualizer will open the “Plots” tab and display real-time visualizations of radar data. 
Users can also view the Presence Detection plot on the same page (if presence detection is enabled) 
Application-Specific Demos (Radar Toolbox)
While the SDK visualizer is useful for general device evaluation, the Radar Toolbox is where in-depth, application-specific demos are found. To run Radar Toolbox demos, you’ll need to download the toolbox itself and Uniflash. For a more in-depth introduction to Uniflash, see the Uniflash with mmWave Guide.
| Tool | Version | Download Link |
|---|---|---|
| Radar Toolbox | Latest | Download Radar Toolbox |
| UniFlash | Latest | Download UniFlash |
To use a more advanced visualizer and build the application binary from source, run the Out Of Box Demo. It’s recommended to walk through this process before evaluating any of the other Radar Toolbox demos.
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| (Recommended Out-Of-Box) Presence and Motion Detection Demo Gives the user a basic out of box experience with presence and motion detection |  |
| People Counting / Tracking Demonstrates tracking of up to 5 people in a scene |  |
| Gesture Recognition Uses a machine learning trained algorithm to detect hand gestures 2m away |  |
| Human vs non-human classification Tracks people in a space and uses a machine learning algorithm for false detection mitigation by identifying objects as human or non-human |  |
| Incabin Life Presence Detection Demo Demonstrates Vehicle 2-row Child/Life Presence Detection (CPD) |  |
| Incabin Intruder Detection Demo Demonstrates an intruder detection system for a 2-row vehicle that is capable of continuously monitoring the interior and immediate exterior proximity of a vehicle |  |
| Truck Bed Monitoring Demo Demonstrates the use of TI AWRL6432 mmWave sensors for truck bed monitoring applications to alert users of any nearby loitering or intrusion into the interior of the truck bed |  |
| Radar Doorbell Uses presence and motion detection chain to enable outdoor surveillance systems to detect and identify people in different environments |  |
| Indoor Occupancy Monitoring Demonstrates the use of TI mmWave radar sensors in indoor settings and the ability to locate and track humans in confined spaces, including large rooms. |  |
| Onlooker Detection Demonstrates the use of TI mmWave sensors for laptop applications such as onlooker detection. |  |
More Resources
Estimate Range and Power of the xWRL6432
The Sensing Estimator tool can be used to estimate the range and resolution of a provided configuration. Navigate to the ‘Advanced Chirp Design and Timing’ tab and paste your configuration to get started. 
You can also estimate the power consumption of a given configuration in the ‘Power Estimator’ tab pictured below. 
Optimize Range and Power of the xWRL6432
Device Chirp Configurations can be tuned to optimize the device’s range, power consumption, resolution, and sensitivity. Information on optimizing these parameters are found in our Tuning Guides. More-in-depth tuning guides for specific processing chains are found in <MMWAVE_SDK5_INSTALL_DIR>\docs.
Video Demos
Need More Help?
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