Contactless Vital Signs Sensing: a survey, preliminary results and challenges

Contactless, remote monitoring of vital signs (VS) is an emerging technology with a vast number of possible uses from hospital care to the automotive industry and assisting living environments. Radio-frequency (RF) sensing enables the remote and unobtrusive measurement of VS without the need to wear any special device or clothing and under any lighting conditions. In the present paper, the feasibility of remote respiration, heart rate (HR) and stress detection monitoring was investigated. In this paper, an overview of short-range radar technologies is presented. The results of measurements made using a continuous wave reflectometer based on Commercial-off-the-Shelf (COTS) components and laboratory equipment are presented and challenges for achieving a reliable, contactless RF vital signs sensing system are discussed.