Project Category: Automotive

Purpose-Goals

The goal of this Proof of Concept (PoC) is to practically test whether we can mimic human physiological micro-movements-specifically breathing and heart rate-using a hardware-based simulation loop instead of real human subjects. Before manufacturing a full active reflector matrix array, we need to de-risk the core physics of the system on a smaller, faster scale.

The immediate technical objectives are:

• Establish a reliable baseline by collecting real, over-the-air (OTA) human vital signs using a TI AWRL6844EVM 60 GHz radar module.

• Verify if a corner reflector movement, can replicate sub-millimeter chest wall displacements within the necessary biological frequency bands.

• Build a single-axis motorized mechanical rig.

• Confirm that the radar module’s out-of-the-box processing algorithms accept these mechanical signatures as a living subject, accurately reporting respiration rates and pulse metrics without software errors.

Study Abstract

New automotive safety standards like Euro NCAP are pushing for mandatory inside-the-cabin monitoring, focusing heavily on Child Presence Detection (CPD) and wider Occupancy Monitoring Systems (OMS). Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar operating at 60 GHz is the preferred hardware because it provides excellent spatial resolution and respects passenger privacy.

This study validates a method for simulating physical micro-movements by using automated retroreflectors driven by mechanical components.

Project Abstract

This document outlines the execution of a Proof of Concept (PoC) engineering campaign focused on validating an alternative approach to vehicle cabin radar testing. Using a Texas Instruments AWRL6844EVM evaluation board, the engineering team will execute a tight schedule split into three distinct tasks: human baseline benchmark data collection, motor-driven mechanical tracking.

The development sequence begins with open-air human vital signs testing to capture clean benchmark datasets. The team will then design and build a single lightweight corner reflector. This setup will allow us to introduce highly controlled micro-oscillations into the radar's path using an integration lab setup.

Finally, the focus will shift to transitioning to a motorized slider mechanism, writing the microcontroller code to manage linear displacement profiles along the Z-axis. The project will conclude with a completed device datasheet and a final PoC report, validating the core mechanics before scaling up to a multi-channel array.

Project Scope

The scope of this testing is strictly limited to ensuring rapid verification of the concept without getting bogged down in

large-scale manufacturing.

• Initial configuration and firmware bring-up of the AWRL6844EVM radar module using standard Texas

  Instruments reference examples.

• Gathering Over-the-Air (OTA) baseline phase recordings from human subjects to map genuine heartbeat and

  respiration signatures.

• Development of a triangular corner target.

• Building a single-axis motorized translation track to control physical movement along the radar’s line of sight.

• Writing low-level firmware to control the actuator's displacement profile, cycle frequencies, and turnaround

  points.

• Drafting a preliminary technical specification sheet and a final PoC performance evaluation report.

Challenges

Building an electromechanical simulator for millimeter-wave radars introduces several distinct physics-based bottlenecks:

• Electric motors generate subtle high-frequency jitter. At 60 GHz, a tiny mechanical vibration of just a few microns can completely distort the phase spectrum, flooding the radar's DSP with noise and masking the target's simulated heart rate.

• Any slight twisting, tilt, or mechanical play in the slider track shifts the reflector's phase center off-axis. This causes the target to lose signal stability or display false movement characteristics.

Project Deliverables

The project will yield the following engineering deliverables:

• A structured collection of data captured from live human subjects during the initial OTA test.

• Physically machined, single triangular corner reflector optimized for 60 GHz return loss.

• A benchtop testing fixture consisting of the fabricated reflector driven by analog laboratory instruments.

• Software deployed on a microcontroller to manage single-axis motor translation, turnarounds, and acceleration curves.

• A technical specifications document outlining the mechanical limits, achievable displacement amplitudes, and frequency ranges of the single-axis setup.

• A comprehensive engineering document comparing the simulated motor signatures against the live human benchmarks to prove the concept's viability.

Next Steps

Following the validation of this single-axis baseline proof of concept, the project will advance to full system scaling:

• Moving from a single active reflector to the matrix configuration featuring completely independent elements.

• Building a real-time embedded control board to handle synchronized channels.

Commercial Potential

Validating this test methodology addresses immediate needs within the automotive manufacturing and safety ecosystem:

• Provides a repeatable, standardized Over-the-Air (OTA) verification tool for automotive Tier-1 suppliers to calibrate in-cabin radar modules without needing human operators in the test cells.

• Radar software developers can programmatically simulate specific, or rare biological events (such as sleep apnea, sudden infant distress, or extreme hyperventilation) instantly within a lab environment, shortening design cycles.