Through-Wall Heartbeat Frequency Detection Using Ultra-Wideband Impulse Radar

With the increasing number of incidents relating to collapsed building and different man-made structures, due to earthquakes, floods, etc., there is a need to detect humans buried under rubble as soon as possible. Radar is being used nowadays to locate the breathing motion of chest to detect buried humans. Here we have used an Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Impulse Radar to detect the heartbeat rate of a person through a wall. The instantaneous heartbeat frequency from the radar has been validated by measuring the frequency of heartbeat from a pulse sensor simultaneously. We have taken readings from three subjects, and their instantaneous heartbeat frequency is within 95% confidence range in the Bland-Altman plots.