A 96 GHz radar system for respiration and heart rate measurements

Stand-off detection of vital signs with radar based sensors is a highly promising approach for applications in the field of medical surveillance, emergency and security. A 96 GHz continuous wave (CW) radar system based on waveguide-packaged MMIC radar components is set-up for accurate determination of human chest displacements. This displacement information is used for determination of heart beat and respiration rates by analyzing the relative phase difference between the transmitted and the received radar signal. The 96 GHz CW radar set-up is described and its boundaries and limitations are analyzed. Measurements using a person in 1 m distance as target are analyzed in time and frequency domain. The results are in good agreement with the actual behavior of the human target.