Phase based motion characteristics measurement for fall detection by using stepped-frequency continuous wave radar

In this paper, we investigate human fall detection using ultra-wideband radar. Our demonstration utilizes a stepped-frequency continuous wave radar (SFCW). In our experiments, instead of utilizing the radar system to measure the Doppler signature of the human, the phase information contained in the obtained complex high resolution range profile (HRRP) is used to derive the motion characteristics of the human, including the instantaneous velocity and acceleration. This can be further utilized for non-contact fall detection and monitoring. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated using measured results.