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Application Brief

60GHz Radar Sensors Enable Better Health and Medical
Care

Abstract:
This technical article explores the advancements in sensor technologies for healthcare applications. Theincreasing aging population and the growing demand for remote healthcare solutions have advanced thedevelopment of innovative sensor technology solutions. mmWave sensors have emerged as a promisingtechnology for monitoring human vital signs like breathing rate and heart rate detection, and detecting the fallsof the elderly people accurately. The integration of radar sensor in healthcare applications enables non-intrusiveand continuous monitoring, providing valuable insights into a person’s well-being. mmWave based sensors canstrike a balance between data collection for healthcare purposes and preserving individual privacy. This article
discusses the principles behind mmWave-based sensors, their applications in healthcare, and the potential
benefits for enhancing personal care.
Radar(mmWave), traditionally associated with military and aviation applications, has found new ground in
healthcare. mmWave sensors operate by emitting electromagnetic waves and detecting their reflections fromsurrounding objects. The raw data collected by mmWave-based sensors undergoes sophisticated signal
processing and data analysis algorithms. These algorithms filter out noise, extract relevant information, andprovide a clear representation of vital signs or movement patterns. Machine learning techniques further enhance
the accuracy of these systems by adapting to individual variations and optimizing performance over time.
The Advantage of Using mmWave Sensor for Healthcare Applications:Compared to other sensor modalities such as camera or PIR that are commonly used in healthcare applications,mmWave sensor has its own advantages.
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Privacy: camera is widely used for monitoring in both business and residential area. However, camera
technology has privacy risk for any in-house monitoring. In contrast, an mmWave sensor only senses themotion of the target without rendering any picture that reveals personal identification, so an mmWave sensor
is considered very safe for any indoor application.
Robustness: mmWave can work in any light conditions, day or night, foggy or rain. This allows robust
performance in all weather conditions.
Aesthetics: mmWave sensor can see through most non-metallic covers, so no need to drill holes on the coverfor sensing, which allows more appealing module design.
Motion sensitivity: mmWave sensor can detect very fine velocity called “microDoppler” information. This richvelocity information carries features that can be used for performance, gesture control, sleep monitoring, vital
sign monitoring and even classifying different types of objects ( such as human vs. pets)
Low power: The new generation of mmWave radar sensors, are low power and consume only as a few
milliwatts, which enables convenience with a battery powered full product and avoids cumbersome powerlines.

Fall detection
According to CDC, millions of fall accidents happen for people older than 65. One out of five falls causes aserious injury that requires urgent care. It is critical to report the injury on time, otherwise the patient can miss thebest treatment timing window. mmWave radar can reliably detect location information, height information as wellas rich velocity information which can be utilized to detect the fall accident without any delay. In the event of afall, the sensor can trigger an alert, enabling timely intervention and reducing the risk of prolonged immobility andSWRA810 – MARCH 2024
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any proactive management of chronic conditions. Furthermore, we know that fall accidents happen most often
in the shower room. Without the privacy issue, mmWave sensor can be installed right inside the shower roomand detect the fall accident even when the water is turned on. The effectiveness of fall detection anywhere inthe house can be a big health assistance for elderly people who are living alone. Texas Instruments IWR6843
60GHz single chip radar sensor are deployed by several vendors to solve this application. For developers whoneed a lower power option, IWRL6432 is another option. Figure 2 shows the example demonstration of falldetection using IWR6843 device from Texas Instruments.

Figure 1. mmWave Fall Detection

Figure 2. Detection of the Fall Event of a Person Using IWR6843 RadarVital Sign Monitoring
Accurate and real-time heart rate monitoring is crucial for managing cardiovascular health. mmWave-based
sensors, when focused on specific areas of the body, can detect subtle chest movements associated withheartbeats and breathing. This non-contact approach eliminates the need for uncomfortable wearables, offering

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a more convenient and continuous monitoring solution. This is fundamentally enabled by the Doppler effect,
which alters the frequency of reflected waves due to subtle motion, as shown in below left picture in Figure 3.
The top figure shows the chest displacement as the test subject breaths. The middle figure shows the breathing
pattern extracted via signal processing from the chest displacement measurement. Similarly, the bottom figure
shows the heart beat signal extracted from the same chest displacement measurement. Finally, the heart rate
and berating rate is estimated using a frequency estimation algorithm, as shown on the right picture. Figure 4
shows the example demonstration of vital sign detection using IWR6843 device from Texas Instruments.

Figure 3. Chest Movement Detected by mmWave Sensor; Separate Chest Movement Into Heart BeatSignal and Breathing Signal

Figure 4. Demonstration Of Vital Sign Detection Using IWR6843 Device From Texas Instruments
Sleep Monitoring
Living a healthy life style is important for longevity. Knowing the sleep quote and quality is a good indication ofa person’s health condition. The majority of current sleep monitoring sensors are contact based, such as a belt
on your wrist or chest. This can be uncomfortable to wear every day. mmWave sensor is a perfect modality thatcan replace these contact based sensors and achieve contactless monitoring. mmWave can sense the motion
information even at a sub-millimeter level, so it can accurately detect sleep.
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When the person enters the bed according to the person’s activity location
When the person fall asleep based on the motion intensity level
When the person falls into REM or non-REM sleep based on motion level, breathing, and heart rate patternchangeWhen the person wakes up and leaves the bed

The above information can be used to generate a person’s sleep report and indicate sleep quote and quality.

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Figure 5. Sleep Monitoring Using mmWave RadarConclusion
60GHz mmWave-based sensors have emerged as a transformative technology in healthcare, offering nonintrusive and continuous monitoring of elderly fall detection, human vital signs, and heart rate measurement. The
integration of these sensors into healthcare systems has the potential to revolutionize patient care by providing
timely and accurate information for proactive interventions.
As this technology continues to advance, these sensors are becoming more integrated, accurate, and versatile,
and are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of remote healthcare monitoring. The sensors ineach of these applications hold great promise for improving the quality of life for elderly and young alike, andaddressing the challenges associated healthcare monitoring.
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Try the fall detection demo on IWR6843AOP EVM(https://www.ti.com/tool/IWR6843AOPEVM)
Fall Detection Demo: https://dev.ti.com
Try the vital sign estimation demo on IWRL6432BOOST EVM(https://www.ti.com/tool/IWRL6432BOOST)Read another white paper (https://www.ti.com/lit/pdf/swra768 )Vital Signs Demo: https://dev.ti.com)

60GHz Radar Sensors Enable Better Health and Medical Care
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