MIT IAP 2011 Radar Course
MIT IAP 2011 Radar Course
(aka the 'Coffee Can Radar')
(aka the 'Coffee Can Radar')
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Summary
Summary
In this course you will learn how to build a radar system from scratch using wood and coffee cans then use it to image stuff around Cambridge MA and share the results with your classmates!
This course has taken on a life of its own since its inception. Many folks have build these things and learned the basics of radar, RF, antennas, and signal processing.
Are you next? Would you like to give it a try? Perhaps improve the design withh your own intellectual contributions?
Abstract
Abstract
Are you interested in building and testing your own imaging radar system? MIT Lincoln Laboratory is offering a course in the design, fabrication, and testing of a laptop-based radar sensor capable of measuring Doppler, range, and forming synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. You do not have to be a radar engineer but it helps if you are interested in any of the following; electronics, amateur radio, physics, or electromagnetics. It is recommended that you have some familiarity with MATLAB. Teams of three will receive a radar kit and will attend a total of 5 sessions spanning topics from the fundamentals of radar to SAR imaging. Experiments will be performed each week as the radar kit is implemented. You will bring your radar kit into the field and perform additional experiments such as measuring the speed of passing cars or plotting the range of moving targets. A final SAR imaging contest will test your ability to form a SAR image of a target scene of your choice from around campus, the most detailed and most creative image wins.
Take the course right now: MIT Opencourseware site
Take the course right now: MIT Opencourseware site
Publications
Publications
'Hacking Education; Project-Based Learning Trumps The Ivory Tower.' Hackaday, Dec. 31, 2014.
G. L. Charvat, A. J. Fenn, and B. T. Perry "The MIT IAP radar course: build a small radar system capable of sensing range, doppler and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging" Atlanta, GA: IEEE Radar Conference, May 2012.
“Science on Saturday, Radar,” MIT Lincoln Laboratory, March 31 2012.
G. L. Charvat, J. H. Williams A. J. Fenn, S. M. Kogon, J. S. Herd.“The MIT IAP 2011 radar course: build a small radar system capable of sensing range, doppler, & SAR,” The Boston Chapters of the IEEE Life Members, AP-S, AES, and GRSS, May 24, 2011. IEEE Boston section Education Society and Women in Engineering, September 13, 2011 (click on video on right).
Student Results
Student Results
Numerous student results are documented on this youtube playlist.
'The First Arduino Radar Shield.' Hackaday, June 14, 2014.
Adaptation
Adaptation
Erasmus Mundus Space Masters Round 7 class, IRF, Kiruna, Sweden - April 2012
University of California Davis
Dangerous Prototypes at Defcon 19
MIT Lincoln Laboratory internal radar course
MITRE internal radar course
MITRE, the Young Women in Engineering event.
MIT Embedded Design, a final project
MIT Professional Education top-rated course of 2011
Press & Blogs
Press & Blogs
J. Baichtal, ‘DIY Coffee Can Radar,’ Make Magazine Blog.
S. Reagan, 'Coffee Can Doppler Radar Set,' Make Magazine Blog, January 17, 2012.
S. Reagan, 'Seeing EM Waves With a Single LED,' Make Magazine Blog, December 13, 2011.
D. Ryan, "MIT Lincoln Laboratory researchers introduce students to radar engineering," Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory, April 2011.
A. Abazorius, "A modern approach to radar," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, CSAIL, Febraury 24, 2011.
SAR image by Tony Kim
student-built radar set
cars passing near Newton Corner
two people walking in a field that leads into woods
student team acquiring a SAR image
the very first coffee can radar set
student built radar set
student built radar set acquiring SAR image
student built radar set
The winning team, who made an image of the Alexander Calder statue on MIT's campus along side Eric Evans (director of MIT Lincoln Laboratory at this time)
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