Radar micro-Doppler for loudspeaker analysis: an industrial process application

In the last decades a strong interest has developed on radar micro-Doppler analysis targeting applications in a number of sectors including defence, bio-medical and automotive. This paper investigates for the first time the use of radar micro- Doppler for loudspeaker analysis. This approach offers the potential benefits to characterize the mechanical motion of a loudspeaker and to identify defects and design issues. Compared with acoustic based approaches, the use of radar information allows reliable measurements in an acoustically impaired environment. In addition, when compared with a laser vibrometric approach, the use of micro-Doppler reduces the number of measurements required and provides direct access to the information of the metallic components of the loudspeaker. In the paper experimental results and analysis of the micro-Doppler signatures of loudspeakers using low cost radar are presented.