Development of an EM-Based Lifeform Detector.
Abstract
Under sponsorship of the Naval Medical Research and Development Command, the Georgia Tech Research Institute is developing an EM-based Lifeform Detector (LFD) capable of long-range, remote sensing of the medical status of battlefield casualties. The current research goal is a LFD that is able to query the life status (i.e., alive or dead?) of battlefield casualties from ranges in excess of 100 meters without exposing medical personnel to unnecessary hazards. The LFD employs radiated electromagnetic fields to directly detect the minute body motions associated with respiratory and cardiac activity. Thus, casualties being evaluated are not required to carry transponders or any other type of monitoring device that might fail under battlefield conditions. This feature significantly enhances the potential reliability and versatility of the LFD. Unique features of the LFD include a millimeter-wave operating frequency (35 GHz) and a coherent frequency modulation approach (FM-CW). The short wavelengths at 35 GHz permit high motion sensitivity and narrow-beamed antennas to be achieved using compactly-sized components. The FM-CW approach enables range discrimination and high receiver performance to be achieved with a system that is sophisticated yet only moderately complex.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1986
- Accession Number
- ADA174856
Entities
People
- Anita Macdonald
- Joseph Seals
- Steven M. Sharpe
Organizations
- Georgia Tech