Remote heartbeat monitoring from human soles using 60-GHz ultra-wideband radar

Measurement of heartbeats is essential in cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging because the measurement must be synchronized with the phase of cardiac cycles. Many existing studies on radar-based heartbeat monitoring have focused on echoes from the torso only, and such monitoring cannot be applied to subjects in magnetic resonance scanners because only the head and soles can be seen from the outside. In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of the remote monitoring of heartbeats from the subject’s soles using a 60-GHz ultra-wideband radar. The heartbeat intervals measured using the radar are quantitatively compared with those measured using conventional electrocardiography.