A Blender-based channel simulator for FMCW Radar

TL;DR

This paper introduces a Blender-based channel simulator for FMCW MIMO radar that models propagation paths and generates realistic radar signals for AI applications.

Contribution

It presents a novel simulation framework combining Blender and ray tracing to accurately generate radar signals for FMCW MIMO systems.

Findings

Successful simulation of radar propagation paths

Validation of environment-based models

Generation of realistic radar signals for AI training

Abstract

Radar simulation is a promising way to provide data-cube with effectiveness and accuracy for AI-based approaches to radar applications. This paper develops a channel simulator to generate frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) waveform multiple inputs multiple outputs (MIMO) radar signals. In the proposed simulation framework, an open-source animation tool called Blender is utilized to model the scenarios and render animations. The ray tracing (RT) engine embedded can trace the radar propagation paths, i.e., the distance and signal strength of each path. The beat signal models of time division multiplexing (TDM)-MIMO are adapted to RT outputs. Finally, the environment-based models are simulated to show the validation.