Design of Object Identification Platform Using a 77 Gigahertz Portable RADAR Antenna

RADAR antennae come in varying sizes and shapes. They are often employed in heterogeneous systems (i.e., systems that use multiple detection methods) that are employed to detect and visualize objects. Object identification in the context of automated vehicle behavior design could require extensive data sets to train algorithms that have the potential to make dynamic driving decisions. A widely available platform would increase the ability of researchers learn about automated systems and to gather data, which may be necessary for training automated vehicle systems. This work describes the application of a 77 GHz, portable antenna to the description of standard fleet vehicles as well as a suite of soft targets contextualized within polar plots. This work shows that object detection and identification is possible in off-the-shelf portable systems that combine readily available materials and software in a reproducible manner. The described system and algorithm create a visual correlate without employing multiple detection methods. This work, which is based on a study conducted using a much larger and stationary system, also demonstrates that current 77-GHz RADAR technologies create signals that are primarily dependent on external geometric features.