Refractive beam steering device useful for automated vehicle LIDAR

1. A device for steering a beam of radiation, the device comprising:

at least one compressible optic component including at least one lens and a compressible optic material adjacent the at least one lens; and

an actuator that controls an orientation of the at least one lens by selectively applying pressure on the compressible optic material, wherein

the at least one compressible optic component comprises a plurality of compressible optic components respectively including at least one lens and compressible optic material; and

the actuator selectively controls an orientation of the lenses, respectively.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator controls the orientation of the lenses such that all of the lenses have the same orientation.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the actuator comprises a plurality of moveable components;

each of the plurality of compressible optic components is associated with at least one of the moveable components; and

a position or orientation of the movable components, respectively, controls pressure applied to the compressible optic material.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the actuator comprises a micro-electro-mechanical (MEMs) actuator.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein

the moveable components respectively comprise moveable electrodes;

the actuator comprises at least one stationary electrode; and

the moveable electrodes are moveable relative to the stationary electrode in at least a first direction and a second direction that is transverse to the first direction.

6. The device of claim 1 , comprising a source of radiation situated to emit radiation through the at least one compressible optic component.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the source of radiation comprises at least one laser diode.

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein an output from the at least one compressible optic component is a LIDAR beam.

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein

the compressible optic material has an index of refraction;

an angle of a beam of radiation from the at least one compressible optic component has a relationship with an angle of orientation of the at least one lens; and

the relationship is based on the index of refraction.

10. A method of steering a beam of radiation, the method comprising:

directing radiation through at least one compressible optic component that includes at least one lens and a compressible optic material adjacent the at least one lens; and

controlling an orientation of the at least one lens by selectively applying pressure on the compressible optic material, wherein

the at least one compressible optic component comprises a plurality of compressible optic components respectively including at least one lens and compressible optic material; and

the method comprises

selectively controlling an orientation of the lenses, respectively.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein selectively controlling the orientation of the lenses includes establishing the same orientation for all of the lenses.

12. The method of claim 10 , comprising

controlling the orientation of the lenses, respectively, using an actuator that comprises a plurality of moveable components, wherein each of the plurality of compressible optic components is associated with at least one of the moveable components; and

changing a position or orientation of at least a selected one of the movable components to thereby control the pressure on the compressible optic material of a corresponding one of the compressible optic components.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the actuator comprises a micro-electro-mechanical (MEMs) actuator.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein

the moveable components respectively comprise moveable electrodes;

the actuator comprises at least one stationary electrode; and

the method comprises moving at least a selected one of the moveable electrodes relative to the stationary electrode in at least one of a first direction and a second direction that is transverse to the first direction.

15. The method of claim 10 , comprising using at least one laser diode as a source of the radiation.

16. The method of claim 10 , comprising emitting a LIDAR beam from the at least one compressible optical component.

17. A LIDAR device for use on an automated vehicle, comprising:

a source of radiation;

at least one compressible optic component situated in a pathway of radiation emitted by the source, the at least one compressible optic component including at least one lens and a compressible optic material adjacent the at least one lens; and

an actuator that controls an orientation of the at least one lens relative to the source of radiation by selectively applying pressure on the compressible optic material,

wherein a direction of a beam of radiation depends on the orientation of the at least one lens relative to the source.

18. The LIDAR device of claim 17 , wherein the actuator comprises a micro-electro-mechanical (MEMs) actuator.