Bladder Monitoring Using Ultra-Wideband Radar and Vivaldi Antenna

Sammanfattning: Millions worldwide cannot tell when their bladder is nearing total capacity. The catheter, a tube to empty the bladder, is a vital part of life for many people. A catheter is, however, not a comfortable option, and it is the most common cause of infection in people staying in hospitals. This thesis aims to make the process more comfortable and non-invasive. The proposed idea is to use a UWB radar system with Vivaldi antennas to monitor the bladder state. Research shows that UWB radars can see a difference between a full and an empty phantom bladder. However, current research that explores the usage of UWB radar systems to monitor the bladder state does not consider regulations other than the ones set by FCC. They also only perform experiments on a phantom bladder. This thesis investigates the practical viability of using a UWB radar system designed per the restricted regulations set by Post- och Telestyrelsen. The thesis includes the design, simulations,manufacturing, and testing of the antennas as well as the radar system. The goal was to test the system in both simulations, with a phantom model and with a human body as a target, to advance the current state of research and determine its practicality forreal-life applications. The simulations showed a significant difference in reflections between full and empty bladders. The measurements from the experiments showed a slight difference in amplitude as well, although not as great as predicted due to a longer pulse. The Vivaldi antennas performed as expected according to both theory and simulations and they should work as desired in further experiments that use a UWB radar to monitor the bladder state per the PTS regulations. This thesis is solely based on an original idea and has not been influenced or derived from any external company.