Radar-Based Monitoring: A Proof of Principle Study in a Piglet Model for a Novel Approach in Non-Contact Vital Sign Monitoring

(1) Background: Hospitalized preterm infants often require months of vital signs monitoring in the neonatal intensive care unit. Today, wired sensors are essential for survival, but are associated with numerous disadvantages including sensor dislocations, skin trauma and hygiene risks. Non-contact vital sign monitoring would therefore represent a significant improvement in the care of hospitalized neonates. (2) Objective: This study aims to lay the foundation for non-contact radar-based monitoring of the respiratory rate, which could be used in the neonatal intensive care unit. (3) Methods: We developed a radar-based vital parameter monitoring system for recording the respiratory rate of premature infants in a pediatric incubator. The novel system employs a four-channel I/Q FMCW radar with compact, application-specific antennas optimized to cover the defined area of interest on the infant’s thorax. As a proof-of-principle study, the system was tested in six anesthetized newborn piglets. (4) Results: Using the radar-based system, thorax movements were detected and the respiratory rate was calculated. We observed a high accordance between the signals of respiration detected by the novel radar sensor with the signals of the cable-bound monitor in resting piglets. (5) Conclusions: The novel radar sensor is suited for measuring respiration in the piglet model. In future, the sensor should be optimized in order to improve its robustness against disturbances body movements and in order to allow detection of heartbeat.