The future of radar is distributed and inspired by biology
NWO grants two lines of research into novel radar technologies
NWO has funded an ambitious new line of research led by Francesco Fioranelli – Associate Professor in the Microwave Sensing, Signals and Systems (MS3) group – focusing on the development of distributed radar systems. This technology is poised to redefine the limits of conventional radar by offering much improved flexibility and adaptability. The approach centers on transitioning away from singular and static radar installations towards spatially distributed network of radar nodes. These distributed radar systems could be capable of interpreting complex human movements and vital signs, as well as identifying and classifying dense clusters or swarms of drones.
The distributed tracking capability of these new radar systems open up a plethora of practical applications, notably in enhancing safety and efficiency within healthcare environments. For instance, in nursing homes, this technology could significantly reduce the workload on nurses by monitoring patients round-the-clock, thereby minimizing the need for constant in-person check-ins. Looking even further into the future, the implications for autonomous vehicles are also clear; this technology could enable autonomous vehicles to more accurately perceive and react to conditions within the cabin, ensuring passenger safety with precision.
The project also addresses the urgent need for advanced surveillance methods to combat emerging threats posed by drone swarms at public events and airports—a concern highlighted by incidents such as the disruption at London Gatwick in 2018. Collaborating with experts from, amongst others, the Ministry of Defense and TNO, this research aims to solve complex optimization problems, enabling proactive adaptation of radar behavior to various targets and environmental conditions.
By employing a cognitive radar framework combined with cutting-edge algorithms for feature extraction and micro-Doppler diversity, the team intends to create a “distributed brain” capable of managing multi-level radar nodes efficiently. This groundbreaking research not only aims to advance radar technology but also seeks to offer innovative solutions to pressing societal challenges – as exemplified by the wide variety of applications.
Bio-inspired, brain-like radar-based perception
The OTP grant from NWO is actually the second grant in a short time awarded to Francesco. Just a week earlier NWO appointed a grant to his research lead by his colleague Federico Corradi at TU Eindhoven. The M2 project NERD (Neuromorphic radar-based perception at the edge) project aims to bridge the gap between modern AI radar-based perception systems and the sophisticated echolocation capabilities found in nature. Despite advancements in deep learning and millimeter-wave radar sensing, current technology falls short of matching the efficiency and agility of animals such as bats. By delving into brain-inspired computational principles and echolocation strategies evolved in species such as bats and dolphins, this research aims to revolutionize radar-based perception systems.
By focusing on bio-inspired sensing and computing architectures, as well as digital technologies instead of traditional analog radar technologies, the research aims to significantly reduce latency and energy consumption of radars. This, along with neuromorphic computer architectures for online learning and adaptation, promises to massively enhance the efficiency of mm-wave radar perception devices, as well as significantly lowering their power uses. This combination would open up a vast realm of applications for radar, changing it from an expensive and intense application, to a readily applicable and flexible technology.
