3D volumetric radar using 94-GHz millimeter waves

This article describes a novel approach to the real-time visualization of 3D imagery obtained from a 3D millimeter wave scanning radar. The MMW radar system employs a spinning antenna to generate a fan-shaped scanning pattern of the entire scene. The beams formed this way provide all weather 3D distance measurements (range/azimuth display) of objects as they appear on the ground. The beam width of the antenna and its side lobes are optimized to produce the best possible resolution even at distances of up to 15 Kms. To create a full 3D data set the fan-pattern is tilted up and down with the help of a controlled stepper motor. For our experiments we collected data at 0.1 degrees increments while using both bi-static as well as a mono-static antennas in our arrangement. The data collected formed a stack of range-azimuth images in the shape of a cone. This information is displayed using our high-end 3D visualization engine capable of displaying high-resolution volumetric models with 30 frames per second. The resulting 3D scenes can then be viewed from any angle and subsequently processed to integrate, fuse or match them against real-life sensor imagery or 3D model data stored in a synthetic database.