Integrated Single-Board 24 GHz FMCW Radar and Infrared Thermal Sensor Fusion for Target Detection

This work presents an integrated 24 GHz frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar and infrared thermal detection system designed for single-board sensor fusion. The system enables versatile target detection, including range tracking, thermal monitoring, and vibration frequency analysis. While the radar's operation in the mmWave regime provides enhanced spatial resolution and the ability to detect minute displacements, the higher frequency also makes it more susceptible to environmental interferences, such as moving objects and background vibrations. To address these challenges, an infrared module is incorporated for temperature measurements, effectively filtering out non-biological vibrations and isolating physiological signals. The system operates by transmitting radar signals to a device under test (DUT) and processing the reflected signals for range FFT analysis, determining the DUT's distance from the radar. Vibration frequencies are extracted from the radar signals, and phase demodulation is applied to establish a time-phase relationship for accurate monitoring. Experimental results demonstrate the radar-thermal sensor fusion system's capability to reliably monitor vibration frequencies across various distances and environmental conditions. By integrating thermal imaging, the system can be used to effectively distinguish physiological signals from living beings and periodic motions generated by non-living objects, making it a robust solution for diverse monitoring applications.