Non-Intrusive Human Vital Sign Detection using mmWave Sensing Technologies: A Review

Abstract

Non-invasive human vital sign detection has gained significant attention in recent years, with its potential for contactless, long-term monitoring. Advances in radar systems have enabled non-contact detection of human vital signs, emerging as a crucial area of research. The movements of key human organs influence radar signal propagation, offering researchers the opportunity to detect vital signs by analyzing received electromagnetic (EM) signals. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in millimeter-wave (mmWave) sensing for vital sign detection. We explore human anatomy and various measurement methods, including contact and non-contact approaches, and summarize the principles of mmWave radar sensing. To demonstrate how EM signals can be harnessed for vital sign detection, we discuss four mmWave-based vital sign sensing (MVSS) signal models and elaborate on the signal processing chain for MVSS. Additionally, we present an extensive review of deep learning-based MVSS and compare existing studies. Finally, we offer insights into specific applications of MVSS (e.g., biometric authentication) and highlight future research trends in this domain.