Radar-Based Vital Sign Monitoring

The continuous measurement of human vital parameters is an important diagnostic tool in human medicine. Conventional measurement devices, such as the electrocardiograph (ECG) or the photoplethysmograph (PPG), require a direct contact to the patients, limiting their independence and mobility. These drawbacks can be overcome by using high-precision radar systems for a contactless monitoring of the patients. In this talk, the physiological parameters of interest, respiration and heartbeat and related diagnostic parameters, such as heartsounds and pulse wave propagation will be introduced. In the next step, their impact on the movement of the body surface will be derived. A suitable concept for a highly precise radar system combined with state-of-the-art algorithms will be presented, which is able to measure the required relative displacements of the patient’s skin. As proof of concept, the measurement results of a medical proband study will be shown and discussed in detail. This also includes a possible medical evaluation of the sensed parameters and an outlook on potential areas of application for the proposed systems.