This research theme addresses the design of new generation of emerging smart and mobile devices that target are energy critical applications. Examples are next generation smart phones, wearable devices, as well as other type of smart, embedded, wireless devices that make up future internet of things networks.  The theme addresses design of key communication centric components as well as the energy efficient software that derives and provides connectivity for such systems. 

Research Projects

• Smart Antenna and smart RF Technologies for smart Mobile Systems
  Here the aim will be designing the next generation of smart antenna systems building on the successful spinout Sofant from an EPSRC research project and a following proof of concept project. The work will focus on next generation of smart miniaturised devices such as those wearable (e.g. Google glasses, smart watches, and body area networks). The work will also focus on use of the antennas for energy scavenging building on an initial research by a PhD student . The work will address the complete antenna system components:
  • Design of new ultra low power MEMS/NEMS switches
  • Design of antenna systems
  • Design of low power firmware and embedded software
• Smart Antenna and RF for Biomedical Applications
  This theme will build on initial work carried out in the group building on promising work carried out with a current PhD student on tumour and cancer detection that has generated some promising results. The work will expand this initial research to design of complete smart antenna systems that will target next generation of medical diagnostics for different tumour and cancer detection procedures as well as applications such as deep brain simulation. Collaborations have already been established with nuerologists at Kings College in London as well as Edinburgh Medical School. As this project is similar to the previous project however, targeting different applications and devices with different requirements, it will have similar components to the previous theme with different design specs. These are as follows:
  • Design of new ultra low power MEMS/NEMS switches
  • Design of antenna systems
  • Design of low power firmware and embedded software
• Smart Mobile Device Applications
  This work will aim to address improving mobile device user experience through improving the quality and performance on software that derive key applications within a smart mobile device. Examples applications would include improving services that address assisted living applications such as accurate positioning and navigation. The design next generation of urban and indoor positioning systems where current positioning systems fail. The group has unique international experience in this area with prize winning papers as well as a spinout company. Research here will aim to design embedded software communication centric algorithms (based on GPS, WiFi, WiMAx, Bluetooth 4) integrated with sensors systems for next generation of smart devices. Collaboration will be established with department of geoscience as well as other universities in the UK. Initial contacts have already been made through a spinout company sensewhere (sensewhere.com).
• Energy efficient devices for internet of things
  This work will build on the success of the reconfigurable instruction cell processor (RICA), developed through a successful EPSRC project and a following spinout. The technology was acquired by a Tier 1 semiconductor company in California. The following work will focus on designing the next generation architecture that will drive internet of things based devices and will aim to minimise power consumption further through both hardware and software techniques. The work will also integrate various communication components based on Bluetooth Low Energy, LTE, WiFi in order to establish multi layered energy efficient communication with the cloud.