This sensor proposal focuses on the development of a robust and energy efficient self-managing radar sensors network for intruder/target detection, identification, and tracking. It involves integrating advances from three areas of research: (1) multistatic radar remote sensing, (2) digital signal processing and communications, and (3) high-frequency integrated circuits. Intellectual Merit: Research issues to be addressed include multistatic radar signature of intruders/targets, radar sensors network management, computationally efficient and self-correcting coding for data transmission, feature extraction of radar imaging for target classification, and low cost and low power CMOS based novel transceiver for the UWB radar sensor node. The proposed radar sensors network operates in the microwave region, thus, it has the capabilities to detect obscured/hidden targets. Each sensor node has capabilities for radar sensing, signal processing, and wireless communication. An ad-hoc node cluster in the region closest to the target conducts detection and tracking of an intruder/target. The received target scattered signal at each node in the cluster is encoded and wirelessly forwarded to the central processor. Target identification and Network-wide target tracking are conducted at the central processor using sensor data from every node in the ad-hoc cluster along with their position and timing information. Broader Impacts: The proposed sensors network is targeted for infrastructure safeguarding applications. This proposal addresses an important need in our homeland security for a robust sensor system to safeguard our nation's border and critical civilian infrastructures. In the area of human resource development, graduate and undergraduate students will be trained by participating in the projects, attending sensors network related courses, and doing experiments using the software tools and radar sensors network test-bed developed in this project. A collaborative recruitment effort with the McNair and NSF CSEMS programs at the University of Texas at Arlington is in place to increase the participation of students from underrepresented groups.
