Multi‐Task and Multi‐Scale Intelligent Electromagnetic Sensing with Distributed Multi‐Frequency Reprogrammable Metasurfaces

Abstract Reprogrammable metasurface (RM) has been demonstrated as a key enabling technology for resolving the difficulties arising in conventional electromagnetic (EM) sensing strategies, and the RM‐enabled intelligent EM sensing has emerged as a new paradigm with many advanced functionalities that are thought to be impossible. However, the RM‐enabled sensing strategies developed so far are usually limited to the single‐scale sensing task and the cooperative target, since they are designed to operate at a single frequency band and have the relatively small view angle. To address the formidable challenges, here the concept of multi‐task multi‐scale intelligent sensing is proposed with algorithm‐driven distributed multi‐frequency RMs. For principle illustration, a proof‐of‐principle system working at S‐, C‐, and X‐bands is designed, and it is experimentally demonstrated that the system is capable of monitoring continuously the action behavior and healthy status of the target acting freely in real‐world indoor settings. It is faithfully expected that the presented strategy could open a new avenue in the areas of internet‐of‐things (IoTs), digital twins, and so on.