Development of Data Processing Algorithms for UWB Radar-based Long-Term Health Monitoring

Abstract

In the last two decades, a lot of attention has been focused on con- tactless radar-based vital signs monitoring (heartbeat and respiration rate) as an emerging and complementary value to our medical care. It is very challenging in real indoor environments to perform concurrent localization and reliable vital signs monitoring of multiple subjects within practical distance ranges. In fact, the multipath propagation results in the reflected signal dispersed in time, which not only causes false ToF (Time of Flight) estimation but also leads to inter-subject interference, jeopardizing the vital signs extraction and the localiza- tion. Here we show a methodology based on radar techniques to auto- matically locate multiple subjects in indoor environments while keep monitoring their vital signs. This approach, based on the paramet- ric models both of the propagation channel and of the radar signals, is able to cancel the undesired contributions from static clutters and multipath components, by which it is possible to accurately locate the subjects and extract their heart rates and respiration rates.