Radar-Based Breathing Sensor for Child Presence Detection in Automotive Applications

This study presents a novel sensor system aimed at preventing child heatstroke in unattended vehicles. The developed system integrates a 24 GHz Continuous Wave (CW) radar, engineered to detect the subtle breathing signals of infants. A custom-designed 4- by −1 patch array antenna, optimized for this specific application, is seamlessly embedded into a designed PCB. To enhance efficiency and accuracy, the system incorporates a low-cost 8-bit Microcontroller (MC) and a dedicated hardware filter. These components facilitate a tailored signal processing algorithm specifically designed for efficient and rapid computation of the child's Respiratory Rate (RR). The system's performance evaluation involved monitoring a sleeping infant's respiratory patterns in real-time. Collected data was then compared against established reference standards to assess the system's accuracy in detecting the child's RR, providing compelling evidence of its efficacy. Furthermore, the system has demonstrated compliance with automotive industry standards, assuring seamless integration into existing vehicle frameworks. This innovation holds significant potential to proactively enhance automotive safety standards.