UWB feature localization for imaging

Object recognition, localization and imaging capabilities of ultra-wideband signals are demonstrated in this contribution. Resembling a bat, the experimental setup comprises one transmitter and two receivers. Instead of ultrasound, electromagnetic ultra-wideband (UWB) signals are used to recognize and localize features of the surroundings like e.g. walls, edges or corners. Each feature corresponds to a hypothesis on the dominant reflection and scattering conditions described in terms of simple ray-tracing relationships. The hypothesis matching best the propagation time measurements is picked to identify and localize the feature in front of the moving UWB bat. Henceforth these features could be used as landmarks for bat navigation. Both, position and attitude of the UWB bat could be continuously updated based on a map of landmarks. This kind of navigation is well-known in the literature as simultaneous localization and mapping. Since position and attitude of the UWB bat are tracked, an image of the vicinity in front of the UWB bat can be compiled by superimposing the impulse responses recorded at the various locations. This contribution describes the pivotal elements to this approach: feature recognition and localization as well as bat-type imaging.