See-Through Wall Radar Could Have Law Enforcement Applications

Globe and Mail | January 28 2005

OTTAWA — Military researchers are developing a high-tech radar system that can see through walls, locating and tracking hidden enemies, hostage-takers or even avalanche victims buried under mounds of snow.

Canadian, British, European and U.S. scientists are racing to perfect the revolutionary 3D technology, which can create images of individuals, detail a room's layout or even detect buried landmines.

Success could mean-millions of dollars in revenues and licensing fees — in Canada's case, to Defence Research and Development Canada, an agency of the Defence Department.

"There is a lot of interest in it," said David DiFilippo, a civilian researcher and the project's chief scientist. "We're still in the early days and there are still a lot of technological challenges.

"There is still a lot of risk, but that's what R&D is all about."

Mr. DiFilippo and his team of researchers are still working on the theory, developing software and computer mock-ups.

They are at least a year away from "real results" that would enable them to farm the idea out to a commercial developer, said Doreen Dyck, head of radar systems at the defence research and development agency.

Existing systems can track movement on the other side of barriers, but the so-called TWS (through-the-wall surveillance) system suggests ultra-wideband short-pulse radar can provide 3-D images of "hidden" people.

Although humans can't see through them, most walls are actually "fairly transparent" to radar or radio frequencies, says a project summary.

"The capability of seeing through walls would be invaluable to many organizations including military, counter-terrorism forces and law enforcement," the summary says, with typical military understatement.

"Commanders knowing the exact location of adversaries hiding within a building would have a significant advantage."

Researchers have used electromagnetic modelling and simulation to investigate the theory. Futuristic-sounding technologies such as "finite difference time domain numerical algorithms" are making it work.

The technology can be developed so that radar icons, similar to those identifying specific aircraft to control towers, can be attached to terrorists, for example, tracking them as they move among hostages.

"3D rendering and manipulation will improve considerably target discrimination between a small pet, a child and an adult with and without weapons," says the summary, adding the system could be usable up to 60 metres away from the target.

The system can also outline furniture and layouts inside buildings.

"This could be a potential winner that we have here," Mr. Dyck said.

Once proven, the agency can retain the technology's intellectual property rights while licensing the development to private industry, with the proceeds funnelled back into defence research and development.

Sorting out any possible privacy issues would be the responsibility of end users.