Radio Frequency (RF) Modeling of Layered Composite Dielectric Building Materials Navy SBIR FY2008.1 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2008.1 Topic No.: N08-075 Topic Title: Radio Frequency (RF) Modeling of Layered Composite Dielectric Building Materials Proposal No.: N081-075-0521 Firm: Smart and Complete Solutions, LLc 14 Williams Lane Berwyn, Pennsylvania 19312 Contact: Ebtehal Afifi Phone: (610) 647-0929 Web Site: www.smartcsol.com Abstract: This SBIR Phase I project proposes to develop a system that will permit reliable RF detection of humans visually obscured behind non-homogeneous walls. It aims at accurate EM modeling of walls over the upper band of the UHF frequency range. The EM modeling results will then be used to devise algorithms to mitigate the wall dispersive effects that tend to obscure the EM signature of persons standing, sitting or kneeling behind the walls. Towards this end, recent advances in time-reversal, singularity expansion method (SEM), and statistical mutual information are considered as potential and viable solutions to unmask the human RF signature behind attenuative walls and walls with enclosed air gaps. The proposed research is hybrid between electromagnetic modeling and signal processing. Similarities and divergence measures are applied to signal returns for wall classifications. Transmitted pulse shaping and reshaping as well as linear processing of received signals are proposed to mitigate the wall effects and reveal human presence. Wideband beamforming implemented by an antenna transmit-receive array is used to provide three-dimensional imaging and to allow surveillance operations from desirable standoff distances. The proposed efforts involve verification of theoretical and computer simulation findings through experimentations and real data collection. Benefits: In addition to the obvious military applications, broad commercial opportunities are available for this technology in the property protection, surveillance, and homeland security sectors. Commercial radar imaging of urban terrain would benefit from accurate modeling of wall effects on imaging quality and reliability and from the waveform design techniques that can be applied to unmask humans cluttered by wall signal reflections, diffractions, and signal dispersion. Imaging systems incorporating the devised techniques of this SBIR will find commercial market for law-enforcement in responding to dangerous situations involving robbery, kidnapping, and hostile situations. GPR systems, designed to search for water and sewer pipes as well as electric cables underground, can be made more effective and reliable by integrating the research findings of this SBIR project. Finally, key and candidate tools for solving the behind-the-wall human signature problem were originated and continue to find applications in the ultrasound imaging area. As such, understanding the full offerings of these tools under this SBIR funding is likely to create a market for superior ultrasound devices for imaging. Return