Microwave imaging device

A method for producing microwave (MW) images, comprising:

• transmitting a MW from a MW transmitter towards an object;
• detecting, with a MW receiver, a MW scattered field received from the object;
• controlling a rotation of the MW transmitter and the MW receiver about a center axis;
• measuring, with an object position sensor, the position of a surface of the object over three dimensions to form object surface position data;
• controlling a rotation of the object position sensor about a center axis;
• controlling a vertical direction of the object;
• determining a seed for reconstruction of an image based in part on the object surface position data, the seed having a surface coinciding with the object surface position data, and based on stored data of a prior microwave image reconstruction which closely matches data of the object;
• and
• reconstructing an image of the object using the seed and MW data representative of the MW scattered field detected by the MW receiver.

A microwave (MW) system, comprising:

• an object support adapted to support an object;
• a MW transmitter configured to transmit a MW towards the object;
• a MW receiver configured to detect a MW scattered field received from the object;
• a first antenna mount having both of (1) a lower mount and (2) a radial translation unit having a translation stage upon which one of either an antenna of the MW transmitter or an antenna of the MW receiver is mounted;
• a second antenna mount having both of (1) a lower mount and (2) a radial translation unit having a translation stage upon which the other of an antenna of the MW transmitter or an antenna of the MW receiver is mounted;
• a controller configured to control the radial translation stages to translate radially to and from a center axis;
• and
• a computation processor configured to receive data including MW data representative of the MW scattered field detected by the MW receiver.

A microwave (MW) system, comprising:

• an object support adapted to support an object;
• a MW transmitter configured to transmit a MW towards the object;
• a MW receiver configured to detect a MW scattered field received from the object;
• a controller programmed to include a control module to control the position of an antenna of the MW transmitter, an antenna of the MW receiver, and the object support;
• a computation processor configured to receive data including MW data representative of the MW scattered field detected by the MW receiver;
• wherein the control module comprises:
• providing a user an interface to input conditions for data collection, the conditions including positions of an antenna of the MW transmitter, an antenna of the MW receiver, and of the object support during data collection and names and locations of the to be collected data for storage;
• and
• allowing for data including MW data representative of the MW scattered field detected by the MW receiver to be automatically collected and stored based on user input conditions input by the user.