Low cost microwave imaging system using eight element switched antenna array

A low-cost microwave medical imaging system, which uses software defined radio (SDR) technology, is presented. SDR technology has long been used to quickly develop and prototype new communication system applications. Due to its generic nature, it has the potential to be mass-produced lowering the cost. Here, we re-purpose SDR technology to perform near-field biomedical radar with the use of a switching networking and an array of antennas. To verify its operation, two different antenna arrays using the frequency range from 1-4 GHz are used. The results show that using low-cost technology it is possible to successfully image a bio-mimicking phantom.