The goal of the "Personal Radar" project is to produce a single RF interface that will unify the fixed point electronics for existing wireless devices, while at the same time providing novel user interface capabilities. Initially these radars will be used to find people in a virtual space. A prototype doppler radar has already been developed for this purpose. This technology is complimentary to the electric field sensing devices that have already been developed here at PHM. A small phased array radar can extend the detection and communication range for a human (and thus the volume of a virtual space) from a single meter to perhaps ten meters.

Further development will extend the capability of the radar to serve as an interrogation method for small electromagnetic tags over the same far-field distances. A detection range of ten meters, rather than the few centimeters possible with present passive near-field technology, is the eventual goal. We are investigating the use of many types of resonant structures to provide low-cost tagging capabilities.

The radar's emitted RF may also be modulated by an information-containing carrier. With a good choice of modulation method, the same signal that provides ranging information could also provide a wide-bandwidth communication channel for wireless devices.