Device-Free Radio Vision for Assisted Living: Leveraging wireless channel quality information for human sensing

Wireless propagation is conventionally considered as the enabling tool for transporting information in digital communications. However, recent research has shown that the perturbations of the same electromagnetic (EM) fields that are adopted for data transmission can be used as a powerful sensing tool for device-free radio vision. Applications range from human body motion detection and localization to passive gesture recognition. In line with the current evolution of mobile phone sensing [1], radio terminals are not only ubiquitous communication interfaces, but they also incorporate novel or augmented sensing potential, capable of acquiring an accurate human-scale understanding of space and motion. This article shows how radio-frequency (RF) signals can be employed to provide a device-free environmental vision and investigates the detection and tracking capabilities for potential benefits in daily life.