A Novel Sensor Based on a Single-Pixel Microwave Radiometer for Warm Object Counting: Concept Validation and IoT...

Area of Science:

• Applied electromagnetics
• Radiometry
• Sensor technology

Background:

• Accurate detection and counting of targets, especially those warmer than their surroundings, are crucial in various applications.
• Existing methods may face limitations in detecting obscured or subtly warmer targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the capability of a low-cost single-pixel microwave radiometer for detecting and counting warmer targets.
• To assess the reliability of microwave radiometry for counting operations and detecting masked targets.
• To develop and validate an electromagnetic model for the radiometer-target scenario.

Main Methods:

• Controlled measurements using a 12.65 GHz microwave radiometer.
• Testing with pre-warmed water, oil, and a human hand (naked and gloved).
• Development and validation of an electromagnetic model against experimental data.

Main Results:

• Microwave radiometry demonstrated reliable counting under controlled conditions.
• Effective detection of warm targets masked by unheated dielectric layers (e.g., gloves).
• A consistent antenna temperature increment of approximately 1 K per added target sample was observed, enabling reliable counting.
• The proposed electromagnetic model showed good agreement with experimental observations.

Conclusions:

• Low-cost microwave radiometry is a viable technology for target detection and counting.
• The system is effective even for targets obscured by dielectric materials.
• The findings provide a basis for practical applications, including direct people counting, with preliminary operational guidance and validation.