Short-Range Millimetric-Wave Radar System for Occupancy Sensing Application

Ever-increasing demands of energy consumption have propelled the need for a robust occupancy sensor. Occupancy sensors can be used to control lighting, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) in smart homes, as well as other presence-related loads in commercial, office, and public spaces. The evolution of ubiquitous sensing technologies, such as frequency modulated continuous wave radar, has led to the development of reliable occupancy sensors that can facilitate energy savings by being responsive to human presence and regulate energy load by intelligently adapting to their environment. We, in this article, present a short-range 60 GHz compact radar sensor that can enable detection and counting of people in a space by monitoring people's vital signs, minute motions, and major bodily motions. We present the radar-based occupancy sensing solution and experimentally validate the performance of the proposed system.