Ph.D. Forum: Field Sensing Model, A New Foundation for RF Sensing

In recent years, radio frequency (RF) signal-based sensing has garnered significant attention due to its ubiquity, with numerous applications emerging in areas such as target localization, material recognition, and health monitoring. However, current sensing models are often based on ray tracing, which, although computationally convenient, can become severely distorted when the target size is not much larger than the wavelength. Additionally, using signals with smaller wavelengths to mitigate this issue is not always feasible. Noting that RF signals are a form of electromagnetic waves, we have explored the development of field sensing models directly based on Maxwell's equations. These models can finely characterize phenomena such as diffraction and multiple scattering, thereby enhancing the upper limits of sensing system capabilities. Based on this approach, we have achieved integrated material recognition and imaging of centimeter-scale targets using WiFi signals. This work has been accepted for presentation at Ubicomp 2024.