Backgroud: Recently, monitoring the vital-sign with the noncontact method is a popular technology.
Objective: In this work, we present a fully pulse radar system including front-end sensing and back-end data processing. A series of ultra-wide band sensing pulses is generated and radiated to detect the subject's chest vibration which in turn obtains the required vital-sign signals.
Methods: An artificial plywood with 3 centimeter thickness is placed between a transmitting/receiving antenna of the radar and subject to demonstrate the characteristic of noncontact sensing. The firmware and digital signal processing are also presented in this paper to optimize physiological data quality.
Results: The experimental results show that the continuous heart rate and breathing rate can be monitored by this customized system radar module.
Conclusion: A fully customized ultra-wide band radar for vital-sign application is presented. The radar system plan with wall parameter is also incorporated into the design consideration to meet the FCC requirement and SNR.
Keywords: Radar; UWB; noncontact; real time; vital signs.