A metasurface for enhancing radar sensing

Background

Recently, low-profile and low-cost near-field focusing antennas have attracted lots of attention in biomedical and industrial microwave applications.  For biomedical near field sensing, using a planar antenna with a low profile, small size, lightweight, and high field intensity is highly desired. Such antenna is required to have sufficient energy penetration into the body.  

Our technology is an advanced mm-wave compact radar system designed specifically for non-invasive monitoring such as continuous blood glucose monitoring and continuous ECG monitoring.  This technology uses a new substrate for radar waves, one that increases the energy of the radar being transmitted into the body. 

Description of the invention

The technology operates by emitting radar waves towards the skin and then capturing the reflected waves with the receiving antennas. The novel part of this technology lies in the engineered superstrate (metasurface) that acts as a buffer between the radar antenna and the human skin. 
The unique construction of the superstrate allows for an equal-phase superposition of the propagated fields at the focal point, leading to enhanced power focusing on the near field (skin). This design aids in improving impedance matching between free space and the skin, maximizing power into the body, and enhancing the received power level at the receiver antennas.

Advantages

Low power consumption, small form factor and high energy (for detection), are some of the important aspects of this technology.

Potential applications

A small wearable device for:

• Vital sign monitoring
• Glucose monitoring
• ECG monitoring
• Artirial Defibrillation monitoring