Electromagnetic based ultra-wide band impulse radar vital sign monitoring system

Abstract Vital signs like Heartbeat and Respiration rate are most commonly measured and monitored and this data is considered as primary vital sign information. To date, numerous devices are available in the market for vital sign monitoring like Electrocardiography (ECG), Phonocardiography, Pulse Oximetry etc. Most of these are contact methods which involves placing of some electrodes on the body surface that significantly limit the patient mobility and comfort, and are inconvenient for long-term monitoring. Comfort is a top priority for consumer products; hence we go for non-contact approach. Radar technology is an ideal choice which is non-intrusive and can monitor vital signs from a distance by measuring mechanical chest movements. One of the significant non-contact methods using radar technology is Electromagnetic based monitoring method by using Ultra-wide band (UWB) impulse radar. In this paper the estimation of respiration rate is performed by establishing serial communication between UWB radar and a micro-controller.