Real-time FPGA-based Radar Imaging for Smart Mobility Systems

The paper presents an X-band FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) Radar Imaging system, called X-FRI, for surveillance in smart mobility applications. X-FRI allows for detecting the presence of targets (e.g. obstacles in a railway crossing or urban road crossing, or ships in a small harbor), as well as their speed and their position. With respect to alternative solutions based on LIDAR or camera systems, X-FRI operates in real-time also in bad lighting and weather conditions, night and day. The radio-frequency transceiver is realized through COTS (Commercial Off The Shelf) components on a single-board. An FPGA-based baseband platform allows for real-time Radar image processing

Edge Artificial Intelligence for Real-Time Target Monitoring

The key enabling technology for the exponentially growing cellular communications sector is location-based services. The need for location-aware services has increased along with the number of wireless and mobile devices. Estimation problems, and particularly parameter estimation, have drawn a lot of interest because of its relevance and engineers' ongoing need for higher performance. As applications expanded, a lot of interest was generated in the accurate assessment of temporal and spatial properties. In the thesis, two different approaches to subject monitoring are thoroughly addressed. For military applications, medical tracking, industrial workers, and providing location-based services to the mobile user community, which is always growing, this kind of activity is crucial. In-depth consideration is given to the viability of applying the Angle of Arrival (AoA) and Receiver Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) localization algorithms in real-world situations. We presented two prospective systems, discussed them, and presented specific assessments and tests. These systems were put to the test in diverse contexts (e.g., indoor, outdoor, in water...). The findings showed the localization capability, but because of the low-cost antenna we employed, this method is only practical up to a distance of roughly 150 meters. Consequently, depending on the use-case, this method may or may not be advantageous. An estimation algorithm that enhances the performance of the AoA technique was implemented on an edge device. Another approach was also considered. Radar sensors have shown to be durable in inclement weather and bad lighting conditions. Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radars are the most frequently employed among the several sorts of radar technologies for these kinds of applications. Actually, this is because they are low-cost and can simultaneously provide range and Doppler data. In comparison to pulse and Ultra Wide Band (UWB) radar sensors, they also need a lower sample rate and a lower peak to average ratio. The system employs a cutting-edge surveillance method based on widely available FMCW radar technology. The data processing approach is built on an ad hoc-chain of different blocks that transforms data, extract features, and make a classification decision before cancelling clutters and leakage using a frame subtraction technique, applying DL algorithms to Range-Doppler (RD) maps, and adding a peak to cluster assignment step before tracking targets. In conclusion, the FMCW radar and DL technique for the RD maps performed well together for indoor use-cases. The aforementioned tests used an edge device and Infineon Technologies' Position2Go FMCW radar tool-set

Active target location using crossed-dipole based circular array FMCW radar

Active target location systems capable of measuring both range and bearing have niche applications, including maritime navigation where a seafaring vessel is manoeuvring in the vicinity of a harbour or an oil rig. Such systems can also be used to determine the location of other vessels for vessel-to-vessel personnel or material transfer. The usual approach is to combine FMCW radar with a mechanically or electrically steered beam, establishing both range and bearing to a target, respectively. The radar system described in this thesis is an innovative alternative approach, one that combines FMCW radar with a crossed-dipole antenna, which conveniently functions as a circular array, thereby simultaneously determining the range and bearing of an active target. By using phase mode excitation, neither mechanical nor electrical beam steering is required to locate the active target, as the receive antenna is able to monitor 360 in azimuth continually. However, due to the use of +1st and -1st order phase modes, the radar can only operate in an 180 sector unambiguously. The usual inherent problems with circular arrays being aected by multipath are also easily mitigated by the range resolution of the radar. This thesis describes in detail the development of a 2.44 GHz crossed-dipole antenna structure and its associated feed network. It also describes the first prototypes that led to its current form and goes on to discuss in detail the design and construction of the radar system and frequency shifted active target. Frequency shifting was implemented within the target to overcome the increased clutter power due to the omnidirectional receive antenna. However, firstly this thesis lays the foundation of radar theory, active targets, phase modes and basic antenna theory. Some of the literature associated with radars currently used in this type of scenario is also discussed. Appropriate analysis, modelling and experimental validation is conducted to assess system performance in relation to the predicted behaviour. The radar system was then tested in an open field, with the active target detected to a range of 125 m

Compressive sensing for interferometric inverse synthetic aperture radar applications

The applicability of interferometric inverse synthetic aperture radar (InISAR) techniques to images reconstructed via compressive sensing (CS)-based algorithms is investigated. Specifically, the three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction algorithm is applied after exploiting CS for data compression and image reconstruction. The InISAR signal model is derived and formalised in a CS framework. A comparison between conventional CS reconstruction and global sparsity constrained reconstruction techniques is performed for different compression rates and different signal-to-noise ratio conditions. Performances on the 2D and 3D reconstructions are evaluated. Results obtained on real data acquired during the NATO-SET 196 trial are shown

Payload's sway angle measurement for container in the crane system based on remote sensing

The demand for a high quickly measuring angle in the port crane system should be considered when the container has been transferred from one place to another place. It is significant to build the feedback linking of payload's angle in the integrated crane system. The value of accurate measurement of the angle can be used to optimize the crane control system. In this context, the design and implementation of the experimental setup associated with emulated cranes will be carried out. Several solutions for remote angle measurement were considered one of the considered solutions being represented by millimeter microwave radar sensors. Special developments of algorithms to calculate the sway angle of payload or container were considered as so as the real-time processing using Arduino Uno computation platform. The following objectives were successfully reached. 1. Development of remote sensing system for payload's swing angle measurement considering radars such the sensing devices; 2. Development of a novel angle algorithm measurement and real-time processing of data; 3. Development of a prototype characterized by real-time processing and remote detection capabilities considering short-range and long-range measurements, such as lidar sensor or radar sensor.A demanda por um ângulo de medição rápido e alto no sistema de guindaste portuário deve ser considerada quando o contêiner for transferido de um local para outro. É significativo construir a ligação de feedback do ângulo da carga útil no sistema de guindaste integrado. O valor da medição precisa do ângulo pode ser usado para otimizar o sistema de controle do guindaste. Neste contexto, será realizada a concepção e implementação da configuração experimental associada a gruas emuladas. Diversas soluções para medição remota de ângulos foram consideradas uma das soluções consideradas sendo representadas por sensores de micro-ondas milimetrados. Desenvolvimentos especiais de algoritmos para calcular o ângulo de oscilação da carga útil ou contêiner foram considerados, assim como o processamento em tempo real usando a plataforma de computação Arduino Uno. Os seguintes objetivos foram alcançados com sucesso. 1. Desenvolvimento de sistema de sensoriamento remoto para medição do ângulo de oscilação da carga útil considerando radares como os dispositivos de detecção; 2. Desenvolvimento de um novo algoritmo de medição de ângulos e processamento de dados em tempo real; 3. Desenvolvimento de um protótipo caracterizado por processamento em tempo real e capacidade de detecção remota considerando medições de curto e longo alcance, como sensor LIDAR ou sensor de radar

Analyse temps-frequence et traitement des signaux RSO à haute résolution spatiale pour la surveillance des grands ouvrages d'art

The thesis is composed of two research axis. The first one consists in proposing time-frequency signal processing tools for frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radars used for displacements measurements, while the second one consists in designing a spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) signal processing methodology for infrastructure monitoring when an external point cloud of the envisaged structure is available. In the first part of the thesis, we propose our solutions to the nonlinearity problem of an X-band FMCW radar designed for millimetric displacement measurements of short-range targets. The nonlinear tuning curve of the voltage controlled oscillator from the transceiver can cause a dramatic resolution degradation for wideband sweeps. To mitigate this shortcoming, we have developed two time warping-based methods adapted to wideband nonlinearities: one estimates the nonlinear terms using the high order ambiguity function, while the other is an autofocus approach which exploits the spectral concentration of the beat signal. Onwards, as the core of the thesis, we propose a novel method for scattering centers detection and tracking in spaceborne SAR images adapted to infrastructure monitoring applications. The method is based on refocusing each SAR image on a provided 3D point cloud of the envisaged infrastructure and identifying the reliable scatterers to be monitored by means of four dimensional (4D) tomography. The refocusing algorithm is compatible with stripmap, spotlight and sliding spotlight SAR images and consists of an azimuth defocusing followed by a modified back-projection algorithm on the given set of points which exploits the time-frequency structure of the defocused azimuth signal. The scattering centers of the refocused image are detected in the 4D tomography framework by testing if the main response is at zero elevation in the local elevation-velocity spectral distribution. The mean displacement velocity is estimated from the peak response on the zero elevation axis, while the displacements time series for detected single scatterers is computed as double phase difference of complex amplitudes.Finally, we present the measurement campaigns carried out on the Puylaurent water-dam and the Chastel landslide using GPS measurements, topographic surveys and laser scans to generate the point clouds of the two structures. The comparison between in-situ data and the results obtained by combining TerraSAR-X data with the generated point clouds validate the developed SAR signal processing chain.Cette thèse s'articule autour de deux axes de recherche. Le premier axe aborde les aspects méthodologiques liés au traitement temps-fréquence des signaux issus d'un radar FMCW (à onde continue modulée en fréquence) dans le contexte de la mesure des déplacements fins. Le second axe est dédié à la conception et à la validation d'une chaîne de traitement des images RSO (radar à synthèse d'ouverture) satellitaire. Lorsqu'un maillage 3D de la structure envisagée est disponible, les traitements proposés sont validés par l'intercomparaison avec les techniques conventionnelles d'auscultation des grands ouvrages d'art.D'une part, nous étudions la correction de la non-linéarité d'un radar FMCW en bande X, à courte portée, conçu pour la mesure des déplacements millimétriques. La caractéristique de commande non linéaire de l'oscillateur à large bande, entraine une perte de résolution à la réception. Afin de pallier cet inconvénient, nous avons développé deux méthodes basées sur le ré-échantillonnage temporel (time warping) dans le cas des signaux à large bande non-stationnaires. La première approche estime la loi de fréquence instantanée non linéaire à l'aide de la fonction d'ambiguïté d'ordre supérieur, tandis que la deuxième approche exploite la mesure de concentration spectrale du signal de battement dans un algorithme d'autofocus radial.D'autre part, nous proposons un cadre méthodologique général pour la détection et le pistage des centres de diffusion dans les images RSO pour la surveillance des grands ouvrages d'art. La méthode est basée sur la ré-focalisation de chaque image radar sur le maillage 3D de l'infrastructure étudiée afin d'identifier les diffuseurs pertinents par tomographie 4D (distance – azimut – élévation – vitesse de déformation). L'algorithme de ré-focalisation est parfaitement compatible avec les images RSO acquises dans les différents modes (« stripmap », « spotlight » et « sliding spotlight ») : dé-focalisation en azimut suivie par rétroprojection modifiée (conditionnée par la structure temps-fréquence du signal) sur l'ensemble donné des points. Dans la pile d'images ré-focalisées, les centres de diffusion sont détectés par tomographie 4D : test de conformité à l'hypothèse d'élévation zéro dans le plan élévation – vitesse de déformation. La vitesse moyenne correspond au maximum à l'élévation zéro, tandis que la série temporelle des déplacements est obtenue par double différence de phase des amplitudes complexes pour chaque diffuseur pertinent.Nous présentons également les campagnes in situ effectuées au barrage de Puylaurent (et glissement de Chastel) : les relevés GPS, topographiques et LIDAR sol employées au calcul des maillages 3D. La comparaison entre les déplacements mesurés in situ et les résultats obtenus par l'exploitation conjointe de la télédétection RSO satellitaires et les maillages 3D valident la chaîne de traitement proposée.Teza cuprinde două axe principale de cercetare. Prima axă abordează aspecte metodologice de prelucraretimp-frecvenţă a semnalelor furnizate de radare cu emisie continuă şi modulaţie de frecvenţă (FMCW)în contextul măsurării deplasărilor milimetrice. În cadrul celei de-a doua axe, este proiectată şi validatăo metodă de prelucrare a imaginilor satelitare SAR (radar cu apertură sintetică) ce este destinatămonitorizării infrastructurii critice şi care se bazează pe existenţa unui model 3D al structurii respective.În prima parte a tezei, sunt investigate soluţii de corecţie a neliniarităţii unui radar FMCW în bandaX destinat măsurării deplasărilor milimetrice. Caracteristica de comandă neliniară a oscilatorului debandă largă determină o degradare a rezoluţiei în distanţă. Pentru a rezolva acest inconvenient, au fostelaborate două metode de corecţie a neliniarităţii, adaptate pentru semnale de bandă largă, ce se bazeazăpe conceptul de reeşantionare neuniformă sau deformare a axei temporare. Prima abordare estimeazăparametrii neliniarităţii utilizând funcţii de ambiguitate de ordin superior, iar cea de-a doua exploateazăo măsură de concentraţie spectrală a semnalului de bătăi într-un algoritm de autofocalizare în distanţă.În a doua parte a lucrării, este propusă o metodologie generală de detecţie şi monitorizare a centrilorde împrăştiere în imagini SAR în scopul monitorizării elementelor de infrastructură critică. Metoda sebazează pe refocalizarea fiecărei imagini radar pe un model 3D al structurii investigate în scopul identificăriicentrilor de împrăştiere pertinenţi (ţinte fiabile ce pot fi monitorizate în timp) cu ajutorul tomografiei SAR4D (distanţă-azimut-elevaţie-viteză de deplasare). Algoritmul de refocalizare este compatibil cu imaginiSAR achiziţionate în moduri diferite (« stripmap », « spotlight » şi « sliding spotlight ») şi constă într-odefocalizare în azimut urmată de o retroproiecţie modificată (condiţionată de structura timp-frecvenţă asemnalului) pe modelul 3D al structurii. Ţintele sunt identificate în stiva de imagini refocalizate cu ajutorultomografiei 4D prin efectuarea unui test de conformitate cu ipoteza că centrii de împrăştiere pertinenţivor avea elevaţie zero în planul local elevaţie-viteză. Viteza medie de deformare corespunde maximuluide pe axa de elevaţie nulă, iar seria temporară a deplasărilor se obţine printr-o dublă diferenţă de fază aamplitudinilor complexe corespunzătoare ţintelor identificate.În final sunt prezentate campaniile de măsurători pe teren efectuate la un baraj şi o alunecare de terendin regiunea Puylaurent (Franţa) destinate obţinerii modelului 3D al celor două elemente de infrastructurăprin măsurători GPS, topografice şi LIDAR. Comparaţia între deformările măsurate pe teren şi rezultateleobţinute prin combinarea imaginilor SAR cu modelele 3D au permis validarea metodologiei propuse

Millimetre-Resolution Photonics-Assisted Radar

Radar is essential in applications such as anti-collision systems for driving, airport security screening, and contactless vital sign detection. The demand for high-resolution and real-time recognition in radar applications is growing, driving the development of electronic radars with increased bandwidth, higher frequency, and improved reconfigurability. However, conventional electronic approaches are challenging due to limitations in synthesising radar signals, limiting performance. In contrast, microwave photonics-enabled radars have gained interest because they offer numerous benefits compared to traditional electronic methods. Photonics-assisted techniques provide a broad fractional bandwidth at the optical carrier frequency and enable spectrum manipulation, producing wideband and high-resolution radar signals in various formats. However, photonic-based methods face limitations like low time-frequency linearity due to the inherent nonlinearity of lasers, restricted RF bandwidth, limited stability of the photonic frequency multipliers, and difficulties in achieving extended sensing with dispersion-based techniques. In response to these challenges, this thesis presents approaches for generating broadband radar signals with high time-frequency linearity using recirculated unidirectional optical frequency-shifted modulation. The photonics-assisted system allows flexible bandwidth tuning from sub-GHz to over 30 GHz and requires only MHz-level electronics. Such a system offers millimetre-level range resolution and a high imaging refresh rate, detecting fast-moving objects using the ISAR technique. With millimetre-level resolution and micrometre accuracy, this system supports contactless vital sign detection, capturing precise respiratory patterns from simulators and a living body using a cane toad. In the end, we highlight the promise of merging radar and LiDAR, foreshadowing future advancements in sensor fusion for enhanced sensing performance and resilience

Classifying low probability of intercept radar using fuzzy artmap

Electronic Support (ES) operations concern themselves with the ability to search for, intercept, track and classify threat emitters. Modern radar systems in turn aim to operate undetected by intercept receivers. These radar systems maintain Low Probability of Intercept (LPI) by utilizing low power emissions, coded waveforms, wideband operation, narrow beamwidths and evasive scan patterns without compromising accuracy and resolution. The term LPI refers to the small chance or likelihood of intercept actually occurring. The complexity and degrees of freedom available to modern radar place a high demand on ES systems to provide detailed and accurate real-time information. Intercept alone is not sufficient and this study focusses on the detection, feature extraction (parameter estimation) and classification (using Fuzzy ARTMAP), of the Pilot Mk3 LPI radar. Fuzzy ARTMAP is a cognitive neural method combining fuzzy logic and Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART) to create categories of class prototypes to be classified. Fuzzy ARTMAP systems are formed by self-organizing neural architectures that are able to rapidly learn and classify both discreet and continuous input patterns. To evaluate the suitability of a given ES intercept receiver against a particular LPI radar, the LPI performance factor is defined by combining the radar range, intercept receiver range and sensitivity equations. The radar wants to force an opposing intercept receiver into its range envelope. On the contrary, the intercept receiver would ideally want to operate outside the specified radar detection range to avoid being detected by the radar. The Maximum Likelihood (ML) detector developed for this study is capable of detecting the Pilot Mk3 radar, as it allows sufficient integration gain for detection beyond the radar maximum range. The accuracy of parameter estimation in an intercept receiver is of great importance, as it has a direct impact on the accuracy of the classification stage. Among the various potentially useful radar parameters, antenna rotation rate, transmit frequency, frequency sweep and sweep repetition frequency were used to classify the Pilot Mk3 radar. Estimation of these parameters resulted in very clear clustering of parameter data that distinguish the Pilot Mk3 radar. The estimated radar signal parameters are well separated to the point that there is no overlap of features. If the detector is able to detect an intercepted signal it will be able to make accurate estimates of these parameters. The Fuzzy ARTMAP classifier is capable of classifying the radar modes of the Pilot Mk3 LPI radar. Correct Classification Decisions (CCD) of 100% are easily achieved for a variety of classifier configurations. Classifier training is quite efficient as good generalisation between input and output spaces is achieved from a training dataset comprising only 5% of the total dataset. If any radar is LPI, there must be a consideration for the radar as well as the opposing intercept receiver. Calculating the LPI performance factor is a useful tool for such an evaluation. The claim that a particular radar is LPI against any intercept receiver is too broad to be insightful. This also holds for an intercept receiver claiming to have 100% Probability of Intercept (POI) against any radar. AFRIKAANS : Elektroniese ondersteuningsoperasies het ten doel om uitsendings van bedreigings te soek, te onderskep, te volg en ook te klassifiseer. Moderne radarstelsels probeer op hulle beurt om hul eie werk te verrig sonder om onderskep te word. Hierdie tipe radarstelsels handhaaf ’n Lae Waarskynlikheid van Onderskepping (LWO) d.m.v. lae senderdrywing, geënkodeerde golfvorms, wyebandfrekwensiegebruik, noue antennabundels en vermydende antennasoekpatrone. Hierdie eienskappe veroorsaak dat ’n LWO radar nie akkuraatheid en resolusie prysgee nie. Die term LWO verwys na die skrale kans of waarskynlikheid van onderskepping deur ’n ontvanger wat die radar se gedrag probeer naspeur. Die komplekse seinomgewing en vele grade van vryheid beskikbaar vir ’n LWO-radar, stel baie hoë eise aan onderskeppingsontvangers om gedetaileerde en akkurate inligting in reële tyd te lewer. Die ondersoek van LWO-radaronderskepping op sy eie is nie voldoende nie. Hierdie studie beskou die deteksie, parameter-estimasie asook klassifikasie (m.b.v. Fuzzy ARTMAP) van die Pilot Mk3 LWO-radar as ’n probleem in die geheel. Fuzzy ARTMAP is ’n kognitiewe neurale metode wat fuzzy-logika en Aanspasbare Resonante Teorie (ART) kombineer om kategorieë of klassifikasieprototipes te vorm en hulle te klassifiseer. Fuzzy ARTMAP stelsels bestaan uit selfvormende neurale komponente wat diskrete asook kontinue insette vinnig kan leer en klassifiseer. Om die geskiktheid van enige onderskeppingsontvanger te bepaal word ’n LWO-werkverrigtingsyfer gedefinieer. Hierdie werkverrigtingsyfer kombineer beide radar- en onderskeppings ontvanger vergelykings vir operasionele reikafstand en sensitiwiteit. Die radar beoog om die onderskeppingsontvanger tot binne sy eie reikafstand in te forseer om die ontvangerplatform op te spoor. Die onderskeppingsontvanger wil daarenteen op ’n veilige afstand (verder as die radarbereik) bly, en nogsteeds die radar se uitsendings onderskep. ’n Maksimale Waarskynlikheid (MW) detektor is ontwikkel wat die Pilot Mk3- radargolfvorms kan opspoor, met voldoende integrasie-aanwins vir betroubare deteksie en wat veel verder strek as die radarreikafstand. Akkurate radarparameterestimasie is ’n baie belangrike funksie in ’n onderskeppingsontvanger aangesien dit ’n direkte implikasie het vir die akkuraatheid van die klassifikasiefunksie. Vanuit ’n wye verskeidenheid van relevante radar parameters word estimasies van antennadraaitempo, senderfrekwensie, frekwensieveegbandwydte en veegherhalingstempo gebruik om die Pilot Mk3-radar te klassifiseer. Die estimasie van hierdie parameters is duidelik gegroepeer met geen oorvleuling om moontlike verwarring te voorkom. Indien die detektor deteksies verklaar, volg die estimasiefunksie met baie akkurate waardes van radarparameters. Die Fuzzy ARTMAP-klassifiseerder wat ontwikkel is vir hierdie studie beskik oor die vermoë om die Pilot Mk3 LWO-radar te klassifiseer. Korrekte Klassifikasiebesluite (KKB) van 100% is moontlik vir ’n verskeidenheid klassifiseerderverstellings. Die klassifiseerder behaal ’n goeie veralgemening van in- en uitset ruimtes, en die leer- (of oefen-) roetines is baie effektief met so min as 5% van die volle datastel. Enige radarstelsel wat roem op LWO moet sowel die radar as ’n moontlike onderskeppingsontvanger in gelyke maat beskou. Die LWO- werkverrigtingsyfer verskaf ’n handige maatstaf vir sulke evaluasies. Om bloot te eis dat ’n radar LWO-eienskappe teenoor enige onderskeppingsontvanger het, is te algemeen en nie insiggewend nie. Dieselfde geld vir ’n onderskeppingsontvanger wat 100% (of totale) onderskepping kan verrig teenoor enige radar. CopyrightDissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2012.Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineeringunrestricte

Advanced Techniques for Ground Penetrating Radar Imaging

Ground penetrating radar (GPR) has become one of the key technologies in subsurface sensing and, in general, in non-destructive testing (NDT), since it is able to detect both metallic and nonmetallic targets. GPR for NDT has been successfully introduced in a wide range of sectors, such as mining and geology, glaciology, civil engineering and civil works, archaeology, and security and defense. In recent decades, improvements in georeferencing and positioning systems have enabled the introduction of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques in GPR systems, yielding GPR–SAR systems capable of providing high-resolution microwave images. In parallel, the radiofrequency front-end of GPR systems has been optimized in terms of compactness (e.g., smaller Tx/Rx antennas) and cost. These advances, combined with improvements in autonomous platforms, such as unmanned terrestrial and aerial vehicles, have fostered new fields of application for GPR, where fast and reliable detection capabilities are demanded. In addition, processing techniques have been improved, taking advantage of the research conducted in related fields like inverse scattering and imaging. As a result, novel and robust algorithms have been developed for clutter reduction, automatic target recognition, and efficient processing of large sets of measurements to enable real-time imaging, among others. This Special Issue provides an overview of the state of the art in GPR imaging, focusing on the latest advances from both hardware and software perspectives

Towards localisation with Doppler radar

In this thesis the author introduces a novel method for Geo Localisation via Doppler Radar. The area of research is in the three dimensional space using amplitude and magnitude measurements. Geo Localisation in mobile applications is a useful technology that enables monitoring and gathering information about objects of interest