SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will investigate beam steered electromagnetic radar using differential synchronization signal path switching (DSSPS) to increase the operable frequency and target resolution. The research will also determine the effective imaging beam refraction as it exits opaque media, the feasibility of classifying human targets in the downrange profile, and the feasibility of implementing fractal geometries into bow-tie antennas to reduce ringing. Phase I will result in a compact system capable of penetrating thick opaque materials using high frequencies to locate targets in an arena that is otherwise reserved for low frequencies because of attenuation and the steering limitations of electronic delay methods. Potential commercial applications are expected in electromagnetic application for subsurface feature detection, including voids, contaminants, hazardous waste containers, hydrologic-lithologic interfaces, the location of buried utilities, and for locating human targets through opaque materials such as buildings, earth, rock, and snow. The smaller size of a high frequency array offers portability for the latter application.

This SBIR Phase II project will develop a through material imaging system that will locate human targets through opaque media. The technology will also provide wide area subsurface sensing for ground probing applications. The phase I results demonstrated that the system has the capability of detecting human targets on the opposite of building walls and through walls of granite over 10m thick. The thrust of the phase II research lies in software development to classify targets in the downrange profile, track targets, and count targets; and hardware development to eliminate the need for an external off the shelf receiver. The latter effort will also require software development to process data for the classification algorithms. The unique innovation of this project is that it can conduct full area investigations and locate stationary targets from a fixed location. There are two primary applications for this technology, situational awareness and subsurface investigation. The former, which is the most attractive for early market entry, comprises homeland security, police/fire/search and rescue, and military actions where the location of human subjects on the opposite side of walls, vegetation, snow, fire, or other opaque media is sought. The latter includes geophysical exploration, ore body investigation, utility detection and location, road-bed and bridge subsurface scans for cracks and voids, and unattended ground sensing from a fixed point to assess subsurface changes that can be used to predict earth or structural failure.