RIS-Aided Sensing: Experimental Validation of Radar 3D Imaging in the mmWave Band

The transition toward 6G networks demands energy-efficient hardware capable of active interaction with the environment. Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces (RIS) have emerged as a key technology for Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC), enabling geometric environment recognition with minimal power consumption. However, achieving targeted 3D spatial mapping in a fully autonomous, closed-loop system remains a significant challenge. In this work, we validate experimentally an autonomous mmWave 3D imaging framework that integrates an Frequency-Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar with a 1-bit RIS and a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA) to perform targeted 3D reconstruction. The FMCW radar acts as a coarse localizer, providing real-time spatial priors to define dynamic Regions of Interest (ROI). These coordinates are translated into optimized RIS phase profiles to perform Stepped-Frequency Continuous-Wave (SFCW) measurements. We experimentally validate the system through three diverse scenarios, including metallic mannequins, calibration spheres, and a complex multi-target environment containing human subjects and an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV). The results demonstrate accurate 3D voxel-based reconstruction of targets even at reduced angular resolutions, advancing the feasibility of RIS-based sensing for industrial and security applications.

Initial Characterization of Healthy and Malignant in vivo and ex vivo Human Colon Tissues under Surgery Procedures

The dielectric characterization of human tissues can play a crucial role in the development of new medical diagnostic tools. In particular, the characterization of healthy and pathological tissues can provide vital information for diagnosis. In this paper, preliminary results from a small-scale measurement campaign conducted in 0.5-26.5GHz during real surgeries on healthy and malignant human colon tissues are presented. Those measurements were carried out externally to the colon, without direct contact to the tumor growing inside the colon. Furthermore, different tumor stages are taken into account. Initial findings reveal that advanced tumor stages are related with increased higher values of dielectric properties in malignant tumor tissues compared to the healthy ones.

Frequency-responsive RCS characteristics and scaling implications for ISAC development

This paper presents an investigation on the Radar Cross-Section (RCS) of various targets, with the objective of analysing how RCS properties vary with frequency. Targets such as an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), a pedestrian, and a full-scale car were measured in the frequency bands referred to in industry standards as FR2 and FR3. Measurements were taken in diverse environments, indoors and outdoors, to ensure comprehensive scenario coverage. The methodology employed in RCS extraction performs background subtraction, followed by time-domain gating to isolate the influence of the target. This analysis compares the RCS values and how the points of greatest contribution are distributed across different bands based on the range response of the RCS. Analysis of the results demonstrated how RCS values change with frequency and target shape, providing insights into the electromagnetic behaviour of these targets. Key findings highlight how much scaling RCS values based on frequency and geometry is complex and varies among different types of materials and shapes. These insights are instrumental for advancing sensing systems and enhancing 3GPP channel models, particularly for Integrated Sensing and Communications (ISAC) techniques proposed for 6G standards.