Novel Hybrid-Learning Algorithms for Improved Millimeter-Wave Imaging Systems

Increasing attention is being paid to millimeter-wave (mmWave), 30 GHz to 300 GHz, and terahertz (THz), 300 GHz to 10 THz, sensing applications including security sensing, industrial packaging, medical imaging, and non-destructive testing. Traditional methods for perception and imaging are challenged by novel data-driven algorithms that offer improved resolution, localization, and detection rates. Over the past decade, deep learning technology has garnered substantial popularity, particularly in perception and computer vision applications. Whereas conventional signal processing techniques are more easily generalized to various applications, hybrid approaches where signal processing and learning-based algorithms are interleaved pose a promising compromise between performance and generalizability. Furthermore, such hybrid algorithms improve model training by leveraging the known characteristics of radio frequency (RF) waveforms, thus yielding more efficiently trained deep learning algorithms and offering higher performance than conventional methods. This dissertation introduces novel hybrid-learning algorithms for improved mmWave imaging systems applicable to a host of problems in perception and sensing. Various problem spaces are explored, including static and dynamic gesture classification; precise hand localization for human computer interaction; high-resolution near-field mmWave imaging using forward synthetic aperture radar (SAR); SAR under irregular scanning geometries; mmWave image super-resolution using deep neural network (DNN) and Vision Transformer (ViT) architectures; and data-level multiband radar fusion using a novel hybrid-learning architecture. Furthermore, we introduce several novel approaches for deep learning model training and dataset synthesis.Comment: PhD Dissertation Submitted to UTD ECE Departmen

Wideband Planar Array Antenna Based on SCRLH-TL for Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Application

This paper presents empirical results of a novel planar microstrip array antenna based on a simplified composite right/left-handed transmission-line (SCRLH-TL) for application in circularly polarized synthetic aperture radar (CP-SAR) systems operated in UHF, L, S and C-Bands. The array antenna consists of 6×6 matrix of spiral shaped radiating elements that are excited through proximity-coupled, single feed-line. Pattern synthesis technique is used to determine the excitation coefficients (amplitude and phase) to apply to the individual array elements to achieve the required pattern shape. The array antenna has dimensions of 111.5×96.06 mm2. The measured impedance bandwidth of the antenna is 3.85 GHz for S11 < -10 dB from 300 MHz to 4.15 GHz, corresponding to a fractional bandwidth of 173%. Maximum gain and radiation efficiency measured are 4.8 dBi and 79.5%, respectively, at 2.40 GHz. The antenna has a 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth of 3.94 GHz from 144 MHz to 4.66 GHz. The antenna’s beamwidth in azimuth and elevation planes vary between 60° and 120° across its operational frequency range from 300 MHz to 4.15 GHz. The antenna design fulfills the challenging electrical and physical specifications required for CP-SAR employed onboard unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)

Emerging Approaches for THz Array Imaging: A Tutorial Review and Software Tool

Accelerated by the increasing attention drawn by 5G, 6G, and Internet of Things applications, communication and sensing technologies have rapidly evolved from millimeter-wave (mmWave) to terahertz (THz) in recent years. Enabled by significant advancements in electromagnetic (EM) hardware, mmWave and THz frequency regimes spanning 30 GHz to 300 GHz and 300 GHz to 3000 GHz, respectively, can be employed for a host of applications. The main feature of THz systems is high-bandwidth transmission, enabling ultra-high-resolution imaging and high-throughput communications; however, challenges in both the hardware and algorithmic arenas remain for the ubiquitous adoption of THz technology. Spectra comprising mmWave and THz frequencies are well-suited for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging at sub-millimeter resolutions for a wide spectrum of tasks like material characterization and nondestructive testing (NDT). This article provides a tutorial review of systems and algorithms for THz SAR in the near-field with an emphasis on emerging algorithms that combine signal processing and machine learning techniques. As part of this study, an overview of classical and data-driven THz SAR algorithms is provided, focusing on object detection for security applications and SAR image super-resolution. We also discuss relevant issues, challenges, and future research directions for emerging algorithms and THz SAR, including standardization of system and algorithm benchmarking, adoption of state-of-the-art deep learning techniques, signal processing-optimized machine learning, and hybrid data-driven signal processing algorithms...Comment: Submitted to Proceedings of IEE

Analysis of Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar and Passive Visible Light Polarimetric Imaging Data Fusion for Remote Sensing Applications

The recent launch of spaceborne (TerraSAR-X, RADARSAT-2, ALOS-PALSAR, RISAT) and airborne (SIRC, AIRSAR, UAVSAR, PISAR) polarimetric radar sensors, with capability of imaging through day and night in almost all weather conditions, has made polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) image interpretation and analysis an active area of research. PolSAR image classification is sensitive to object orientation and scattering properties. In recent years, significant work has been done in many areas including agriculture, forestry, oceanography, geology, terrain analysis. Visible light passive polarimetric imaging has also emerged as a powerful tool in remote sensing for enhanced information extraction. The intensity image provides information on materials in the scene while polarization measurements capture surface features, roughness, and shading, often uncorrelated with the intensity image. Advantages of visible light polarimetric imaging include high dynamic range of polarimetric signatures and being comparatively straightforward to build and calibrate. This research is about characterization and analysis of the basic scattering mechanisms for information fusion between PolSAR and passive visible light polarimetric imaging. Relationships between these two modes of imaging are established using laboratory measurements and image simulations using the Digital Image and Remote Sensing Image Generation (DIRSIG) tool. A novel low cost laboratory based S-band (2.4GHz) PolSAR instrument is developed that is capable of capturing 4 channel fully polarimetric SAR image data. Simple radar targets are formed and system calibration is performed in terms of radar cross-section. Experimental measurements are done using combination of the PolSAR instrument with visible light polarimetric imager for scenes capturing basic scattering mechanisms for phenomenology studies. The three major scattering mechanisms studied in this research include single, double and multiple bounce. Single bounce occurs from flat surfaces like lakes, rivers, bare soil, and oceans. Double bounce can be observed from two adjacent surfaces where one horizontal flat surface is near a vertical surface such as buildings and other vertical structures. Randomly oriented scatters in homogeneous media produce a multiple bounce scattering effect which occurs in forest canopies and vegetated areas. Relationships between Pauli color components from PolSAR and Degree of Linear Polarization (DOLP) from passive visible light polarimetric imaging are established using real measurements. Results show higher values of the red channel in Pauli color image (|HH-VV|) correspond to high DOLP from double bounce effect. A novel information fusion technique is applied to combine information from the two modes. In this research, it is demonstrated that the Degree of Linear Polarization (DOLP) from passive visible light polarimetric imaging can be used for separation of the classes in terms of scattering mechanisms from the PolSAR data. The separation of these three classes in terms of the scattering mechanisms has its application in the area of land cover classification and anomaly detection. The fusion of information from these particular two modes of imaging, i.e. PolSAR and passive visible light polarimetric imaging, is a largely unexplored area in remote sensing and the main challenge in this research is to identify areas and scenarios where information fusion between the two modes is advantageous for separation of the classes in terms of scattering mechanisms relative to separation achieved with only PolSAR

On Co-Existence of In-Band UWB-OFDM and GPS Signals: Tracking Performance Analysis

The problem of in-band co-existence between GPS and other potential interfering signals is viewed from the following angle in this paper: Is there a coding or modulation technique which would permit simultaneous use of GPS and other RF services occupying same bandwidth? Very low interference between the UWB radar and GPS signals can be achieved by shaping radar pulses using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) coding, which is a multi-carrier modulation technique targeted for commercial UWB communications. The paper shows that we can, in fact, expect a very good degree of interoperability of a system used for GPS reception and UWB-OFDM radar purposes. The benefits of using UWB sensor in conjunction with GPS can be for example, to supplement positioning algorithms with radar-collected data, as well as to perform general reconnaissance of the surrounding area. The paper includes detailed analysis of the proposed multiple-use UWB-OFDM radar/GPS receiver concept, the effect of co-existing UWB-OFDM signals on GPS receiver tracking loop carrier noise level, and the impact on the quality of GPS solution in weak GPS signal environment. A brief discussion of MATLAB implementation of the modeled scenarios is presented as well

Synthetic aperture radar-based techniques and reconfigurable antenna design for microwave imaging of layered structures

In the past several decades, a number of microwave imaging techniques have been developed for detecting embedded objects (targets) in a homogeneous media. New applications such as nondestructive testing of layered composite structures, through-wall and medical imaging require more advanced imaging systems and image reconstruction algorithms (post-processing) suitable for imaging inhomogeneous (i.e., layered) media. Currently-available imaging algorithms are not always robust, easy to implement, and fast. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques are some of the more prominent approaches for image reconstruction when considering low loss and homogeneous media. To address limitations of SAR imaging, when interested in imaging an embedded object in an inhomogeneous media with loss, two different methods are introduced, namely; modified piecewise SAR (MPW-SAR) and Wiener filter-based layered SAR (WL-SAR). From imaging system hardware point-of-view, microwave imaging systems require suitable antennas for signal transmission and data collection. A reconfigurable antenna which its characteristics can be dynamically changed provide significant flexibility in terms of beam-forming, reduction in unwanted noise and multiplicity of use including for imaging applications. However, despite these potentially advantageous characteristics, the field of reconfigurable antenna design is fairly new and there is not a methodical design procedure. This issue is addressed by introducing an organized design method for a reconfigurable antenna capable of operating in several distinct frequency bands. The design constraints (e.g., size and gain) can also be included. Based on this method, a novel reconfigurable coplanar waveguide-fed slot antenna is designed to cover several different frequency bands while keeping the antenna size as small as possible --Abstract, page iii

Polarimetric airborne scientific instrument, mark 2, an ice‐sounding airborne synthetic aperture radar for subglacial 3D imagery

Polarimetric Airborne Scientific INstrument, mark 2 (PASIN2) is a 150 MHz coherent pulsed radar with the purpose of deep ice sounding for bedrock, subglacial channels and ice‐water interface detection in Antarctica. It is designed and operated by the British Antarctic Survey from 2014. With multiple antennas, oriented along and across‐track, for transmission and reception, it enables polarimetric 3D estimation of the ice base with a single pass, reducing the gridding density of the survey paths. The off‐line data processing stream consists of channel calibration; 2D synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging based on back‐projection, for along‐track and range dimensions; and finally, a direction of arrival estimation (DoA) of the remaining across‐track angle, by modifying the non‐linear MUSIC algorithm. Calibration flights, during the Antarctic Summer campaigns in 16/17 and 19/20 seasons, assessed and validated the instrument and processing performances. Imaging flights over ice streams and ice shelves close to grounding lines demonstrate the 3D sensing capabilities. By resolving directional ambiguities and accounting for reflector across‐track location, the true ice thickness and bed elevation are obtained, thereby removing the error of the usual assumption of vertical DoA, that greatly influence the output of flow models of ice dynamics