Radar-based contactless heart beat detection with a modified Pan–Tompkins algorithm

Background. Using radar for non-contact measuring human vital signs has garnered significant attention due to its undeniable benefits. However, achieving reasonably good accuracy in contactless measurement senarios is still a technical challenge. Materials and methods. The proposed method includes two stages. The first stage involves the process of datasegmentation and signal channel selection. In the next phase, the raw radar signal from the chosen channel is subjected to modified Pan-Tompkins. Results. The experimental findings from twelve individuals demonstrated a strong agreement between the contactless radar and contact electrocardiography (ECG) devices for heart rate measurement, with correlation coefficient of 98.74 percentage; and the 95% limits of agreement obtained by radar and those obtained by ECG were 2.4 beats per minute. Conclusion. The results showed high agreement between heart rate calculated by radar signals and heart rate by electrocardiograph. This research paves the way for future applications using non-contact sensors to support and potentially replace contact sensors in healthcare.