RF\Microwave Electronics and Sensors
This area is a current strength of the department. There are several faculty members with active applied research in this area, which would be of interest to local, national and international companies, as well as the various branches of the defense department and the NSF. Application areas are very diverse, from the hardware aspects of wireless information networks, to wireless interconnections of digital and/or analog systems, to innovative sensors that operate at microwave frequencies. Our department is well positioned make a national and international reputation in this applied area.
Faculty with Expertise in this Area
Wireless Communications and Networks
The group has expertise in a variety of issues dealing with wireless communication systems. Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) has been a promising modulation scheme that is extremely suitable for communications in channels severely affected by multipath propagation, such as indoor/outdoor wireless channels as well as underwater acoustic channels. OFDM is now the leading candidate for future digital wireless broadcasting and wireless LAN.
Challenges exist in implementing the OFDM system. Among them frequency synchronization has been considered crucial in the success of OFDM system. Prof. Biao Chen and his students have conducted extensive research. Significant contributions in this area have been made and have attracted interest from industry and university alike. Other areas in wireless communications include signal design work for spread spectrum systems by Prof. Osadciw, modeling and analysis of EMI in wireless communication systems by Profs. Weiner and Varshney, resilient image and video transmission by Prof. Varshney and resource management for wireless networks studied by Profs. Osadciw and Varshney.
Wireless Sensor Networks
Sensor networks deployed in military battlefield have been approached in a rather ad hoc fashion. A more systematic approach is needed to ensure reliability and efficiency. Reliable, flexible, and efficient sensor networks are of critical importance to successful military operations and DARPA has been funding research in this area recently. Commercial applications of wireless sensor networks have also been seen as a vital area that will improve the quality of life for people. For example, deteriorating indoor environment quality has been a major concern for human health. Further, in light of the recent terrorist events, having an established infrastructure that keeps constant monitoring of indoor environment quality may help prevent manmade environmental tragedies.
The strengths of the faculty in signal processing/data fusion, wireless networks, and sensors can be combined to conduct first-rate research in the area of wireless sensor networks. In fact, Syracuse University has recently been awarded multi-million dollars to put in an infrastructure for indoor environment quality research where a wireless sensor networks infrastructure will be put in place for future research. Additional resources would allow us to conduct fundamental research in this area that may have a great impact on future building design. Our combined expertise in data fusion, signal processing, and wireless communication and networks should also allow us to pursue application of wireless sensor networks for military applications.
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