UWB Radar Vibrometry : An RF Microphone

UWB radars can detect minute surface displacements therefore, have been exploited for vibrometry applications. In this paper, we demonstrate via experimentation that it is feasible to remotely sense sound and recover acoustic signals from vibrating sources using radars. Early research in this domain only demonstrated single sound source recovery using narrowband millimeter wave radars in direct line-of-sight scenarios. Instead, we illustrate using X band UWB radars that, multiple sources separated in ranges are observed and their signals isolated and recovered. Additionally, we leverage the see-through ability of microwave signals to extend this technology to surveillance of targets obstructed by barriers. We further drive this notion of blind surveillance by reconstructing audio from a passive object which is merely in proximity of the sound source using clever radar and audio processing techniques.