AI-radar system tracks subtle health changes

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have created a wall-mounted radar and artificial intelligence system that can silently monitor people walking in busy hospitals and long-term-care facilities. The device, about the size of a deck of cards, emits low-power radio waves which bounce off individuals and return to sensors. The AI then analyses the resulting heat-map data to isolate each person and calculate their walking speed. Walking speed is considered a “functional vital sign” because gradual declines can flag early health issues. In tests involving older adults placed on 14 days of strict bed-rest (mimicking serious illness or long-duration space flight), the system detected even subtle declines in walking speed, demonstrating its potential as an early warning tool for frailty or functional decline. Unlike wearable sensors or cameras, this radar-AI approach works in any light, preserves privacy (no video needed) and does not require individuals to wear devices. The team’s vision is to build an “invisible safety net” that monitors mobility and behavioural changes day and night to alert caregivers long before a crisis occurs.