Cardiac and respiratory monitoring utilizing UWB-IR technology

The main goal in this project is a cardiac and respiratory monitoring radar. The radar will be based upon Ultra Wide Band Impulse Radar (UWB-IR) technology. It will have reduced power consumption, be miniaturized, wireless, detached monitoring, robust det ection, and small in size compared to existing technology and products. The radar can be applied as e.g. sports monitor implemented in a wristwatch, sleep alarm in cars, crib death monitor, vital signs monitor in beds or ambulance stretchers, and stress monitor for e.g. fighter pilots or train drivers. The proposed project involves cutting edge technology comprising R&D challenges with respect to the application specific signal processing, the hardware module implementation in a designated CMOS process, and the demanding antenna design constraints. In order to cover all R&D challenges, we have entered into collaboration with Transas, Sorin, and the University of Oslo. Transas is a world-leading developer and supplier of a wide range of software, integra ted solutions and hardware technologies for the aviation and marine transportation industry. Sorin is the largest cardiovascular company in Europe. We are addressing the product market for monitoring of human vital signs, fatigue, sleep and stress, which represents a multi billion market. There are critical needs for a monitoring device that can do detached detailed cardiac and respiratory monitoring enabling fatigue and stress analyzes. The proposed radar product will have these features, and can be app lied to a range of areas within medical use, automotive industry, aeronautics, military, sports equipment, and also for more general use. Due to our single chip system CMOS implementation, production costs will be low in high volumes, enabling high profi t margins. The market potential is high, and even low market shares would provide yearly revenue of several hundred million NOK.