Institute of High-Frequency Technology, Hamburg University of Technology

This talk will present the current research on a microwave interferometric sensor that enables cardiovascular monitoring by analyzing the smallest relative movements of the body surface. This monitoring is conducted without contact from a distance of several meters and through clothing and non-conductive materials. Important parameters of the cardiovascular system and respiration, such as the temporal course and morphology of the pulse wave and heart sounds, but also high-resolution respiratory movements can be recorded contact-free with medically relevant quality. This requires relative distance resolutions in the sub-micrometer range, which can be achieved by the special hardware architecture of the microwave interferometric sensor. Patient studies show excellent accuracy and precision compared to clinical electrocardiogram data. In addition to these primary data, secondary information such as heart rate variability can be examined.