Robust ultra wideband radar systems for real-time sensing, characterization, and imaging applications

这项提议的重点是开发一种用于实时传感、表征和成像应用的可靠传感器技术。拟议的传感器技术将基于超宽带(UWB)雷达原理开发。这项研究的目标应用领域是地球测量学，特别是隧道建设，以及电子健康，具体目标是开发非接触式人体生命体征监测系统。这项研究的长期目标是：(A)地球信息学：众所周知，缺乏实时测量仪器和解决方案来检测埋藏的复杂性，如意外的巨石、从坚硬粘土到不稳定沙子的突然变化，以及隧道工作面埋在地下的天然气和自来水管道，导致隧道工程的高风险。本研究的目的是开发一种可行的实时测量工具，可以与隧道掘进机集成在一起，估计隧道工作面前方隧道路段的地质参数。这项拟议的研究还扩展了最先进的探地雷达技术的视野。(B)电子健康：已经认识到非接触式传感器技术对监测人体生理的意义，以及微波辐射计监测内脏温度的意义。然而，由于患者雷达截面的衰落，这项技术的基本限制出现了。这项研究的长期目标是开发一种强大的非接触式传感器技术，用于以下应用：(I)非接触式心跳、心率变异性和呼吸频率监测，以及根据患者的危重情况产生警报信号(Ii)测量腹部脂肪厚度和脂肪质量，以帮助研究患者的肥胖问题。 尽管UWB技术已经被用于许多应用，但最先进的UWB传感器技术由于缺乏健壮性而受到限制。本课题的研究发展了稳健超宽带传感器技术的理论和设计，并对其实现和集成进行了研究，以解决上述两个问题。

This proposal focuses on developing a robust sensor technology for real-time sensing, characterization, and imaging applications. The proposed sensor technology will be developed based on ultra wideband (UWB) radar principles. The targeted application areas of the research are in geomatics with special focus on tunnel construction, and e-health with specific goal of developing contactless human vital-sign monitoring systems. The long term objectives of the research are in (a) Geomatics: It is well understood that the lack of real-time surveying instruments and solutions to detect the buried complexities such as unexpected boulders, sudden change from hard clay to unstable sand, and buried gas and water pipes at the tunnel face contribute to the high risk of tunneling projects. The goal of this research is to develop a viable real-time surveying tool that can be integrated with tunnel boring machine to estimate the geological parameters of the tunnel section immediately ahead of the tunnel face. The proposed research also extends the horizons of the state-of-the-art ground penetrating radar technologies. (b) e-health: Significance of contactless sensor technology for monitoring the human physiology, and microwave radiometer for monitoring the temperature of internal organs has been realized. However, fundamental limitation for this technology arises due to the fading radar cross section of the patient. Long term goal of this research is to develop a robust contactless sensor technology for the following applications: (i) contactless measurement of heartbeat, heart rate variability, and breathing rate monitoring, as well as generate alarm signals based on critical condition of the patient (ii) measurement of abdominal fat thickness and determination of quality of fat to help the studies of obesity in a patient. Even though UWB technology is already in use for numerous applications the state-of-the-art UWB sensor technology limited by its lack of robustness. The proposed research develops the theory and design for robust ultra wideband sensor technology, and also study their implementation and integration to solve the above two problems.