Using radar for monitoring lab rats: Data analysis and radar parameter tuning for rats

Abstract: I April 2018 an experiment was conducted at the university of Bergen in collaboration with Novelda using the XeThru range-doppler radar. The goal of the experiment was to record data on rats using XeThru radar and by using traditional medical sensors, to see if a XeThru radar can be used instead of the traditional sensors. The data from the experiment consisted of data saved as EDF (European Data Format) from the traditional sensors, radar data and video. The rest goal of this thesis was to analyze the different data types. Then to look at the radar data with the goal of seeing if respiration detection on rats was possible and try to create a radar pro le for use on rats. This report focuses on only one of the rats from the experiment, because this rat was recorded using a video camera. In a preliminary project a python program had been written to use on the EDF data. The program was expanded upon in this thesis to optimize the performance. The python program took the EDF data and extracted the desired signal, data from a muscle sensor, and plotted it, making it possible to analyze. For the radar data Matlab was used, since Novelda already had the tools to process the data using that program. This worked using parameter les to set all the necessary settings to do a playback and change the radar and processing settings. The work then consisted of changing the parameters to get the best results on the data from the rats. A parameter le was created for use on rats that was based on the parameter le for respiration detection on adult humans. The conclusion on the EDF data was that it was not possible to nd a pattern for respiration using the muscle sensor. The radar data fortunately yielded better results. After much testing and optimization it was possible to get good respiration detection on rat 7. Some of the e ndings was possible noise problems and sources. The radar was mounted to the rack holding the cages. This meant it was susceptible to vibration noise form the other rats in the same rack and to the construction work being done at the university. Another problem with mounting of the radar was that is was to close to the cage, because the rat slept close to the wall of the cage closest to the radar. Then the problem of directly coupled energy interfered with the actual signal form the radar. It is still unclear if a radar sensor can replace the traditional sensors, but it is very possible to detect respiration on rats. With some more work, and possible a new experiment xing the noise sources, can make it possible.