SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost 2D and 3D Millimeter Wave Image Sensors

该项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力包括一种新的、低成本的3D毫米波图像传感器方法，可以在建筑以及机器人、安全和质量控制等其他领域进行无损评估。毫米波成像使用对人体安全的射频信号来制作传统光学传感器无法看到的物体的高分辨率图像。由于波长长，毫米波可以穿过许多对可见光不透明的材料，包括普通的建筑材料，如干墙、砖、瓦、水泥和木材。例如，在建筑市场，使用毫米波成像进行结构评估，以及观察钻孔时应避免的线路和管道等隐藏设施，以及检测墙后漏水等危险，可以实现大幅节省成本和更快、更安全、更准确的施工工作。随着技术向商业实践的成熟，该项目还将为新一代学者/创新者提供创业机会。这项小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目旨在推动毫米波成像技术的发展，并实现低成本、独立的3D毫米波成像仪。先前在实验室环境中的工作已经证明了毫米波成像在建筑结构分析等应用中的前景，但是商业化需要快速、便携、低功耗和低成本的图像传感器。该项目将使用具有新型通用图形处理单元（GPGPU）加速图像重建算法的商用芯片组，为毫米波成像提供低成本的硬件/软件平台。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project includes a new, low-cost approach to 3D millimeter wave image sensors enabling non-destructive evaluation in construction, as well as other fields such as robotics, security, and quality control. Millimeter wave imaging uses human-safe, radio frequency signals to make high resolution images of objects that cannot be seen with conventional optical sensors. Because of their long wavelength, millimeter waves pass through many materials that are opaque to visible light, including common construction materials such as drywall, brick, tile, cement, and wood. For example, in the construction market, dramatic cost savings and faster, safer, and more accurate construction work could be achieved using millimeter wave imaging for structural evaluation as well as observing hidden utilities such as wiring and plumbing that should be avoided while drilling, and detecting hazards such as water leaks behind wall surfaces. This project will also provide entrepreneurial opportunity to a new generation of scholars/innovators as the technology matures toward commercial practice.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to advance the state of the art in millimeter wave imaging and enable low-cost, standalone 3D millimeter wave imagers. Prior work in a laboratory environment has demonstrated the promise of millimeter wave imaging for applications such as structural analysis in construction, however commercialization requires an image sensor that is fast, portable, low power, and low cost. This project will enable low cost hardware/software platforms for millimeter wave imaging using commercial chipsets with novel general purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU)-accelerated image reconstruction algorithms.