Model-based near-field imaging of objects inside a room

Through-wall radar imaging has received much attention recently for discerning objects inside of a building. Most conventional imaging approaches are based on Fourier spectral transforms and/or far-field approximations, such as inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) and tomographic imaging. These methods assume a simple point-scattering model. On the other hand, model-based imaging is a more general approach that may utilize a more appropriate scattering model based on the physics of the scenario of interest. In this paper model-based imaging is applied to through-wall imaging with a near-field sensor. The imaging function is presented in a very general form which allows arbitrary sensor movement for collecting the scattering data. A numerical simulation is presented of a drive-by radar scan of a small 1-room building.