Animal Health and Wellness Monitoring using UWB Radar

Abstract

A collar with an ultra-wideband radar is described. A housing contains sensor electronics and the transmit and receive antennas are located separate from the housing around the circumference of the collar. A first example of the collar includes a first transmit antenna and a first receive antenna. A second example of the collar adds a second transmit antenna and a second receive antenna.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a processor configured to control:
 generation of an ultrawideband radar signal and 
 reception of one or more resultant signals; 
   a transmit antenna configured to output the ultrawideband radar signal, wherein the transmit antenna is configured to be directed at biological tissue; and   a receive antenna configured to receive, as the one or more resultant signals, reflections of the ultrawideband radar signal from the biological tissue,   wherein the transmit antenna is in a first plane,   wherein the receive antenna is in a second plane, and   wherein the first plane is different from the second plane.   
     
     
         2 . The wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a heart rate based on determining, using the one or more resultant signals, expansion and contraction of arteries. 
     
     
         3 . The wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a respiration rate. 
     
     
         4 . The wearable device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to apply beam-steering or beamforming to the generation of the ultrawideband radar signal. 
     
     
         5 . The wearable device of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a housing, wherein the processor is located within the housing.   
     
     
         6 . The wearable device of  claim 5 , wherein the housing contains the transmit antenna and the receive antenna. 
     
     
         7 . The wearable device of  claim 5 , wherein the housing is a moisture-resistant housing.