Channel Modelling for Body Centric Smart Mobile Communications Systems

DEL PhD Studentship 2013/14

Channel Modelling for Body Centric Smart Mobile Communications Systems

Principal Supervisor: Dr Simon Cotton

Project Description:

Traditional cellular communications have focussed around a handset communicating with a nearby base station. In the future increasing numbers of smart devices will be designed not only to be carried but also worn on the human body or integrated into clothing. Because the smart devices will be mounted either on or close to the body, they will also be expected to be compact, lightweight and low power. This presents a huge challenge for cellular network and mobile hardware designers as network users will still expect the same connectivity and data rates as experienced with a mobile handset.

In order to optimise hardware and transmission schemes to be used in wireless systems it is necessary to develop an understanding of the communications channel. This is particularly challenging for body centric communications systems as physiological and biomechanical movements of the human body can have a significant effect on wireless signals.

This research study will focus on the Industrial, Scientific and Medical (ISM) bands close to the frequency allocations used by popular mobile technologies such as LTE Advanced and WiMAX. It will aim to make significant contributions to our understanding of off-body communications from smart devices positioned on a person to a nearby mobile base station. It will also develop a set of novel channel models which can be used by mobile systems designers to engineer a new generation of body centric smart mobile communications systems.

Objectives:

The main objectives of this research are:

To investigate emerging technologies for body centric communications.
To examine the impact of physiological and biomechanical movements of the human body on signal characteristics in body centric channels.
To develop a new measurement test bed to analyse signal characteristics for off-body communications between a body mounted wireless transceiver and a mobile base station.
To develop an understanding existing wireless channel models, identify their deficiencies for use in body centric communications and propose new models.
To disseminate research findings at top national and international conferences, and publish in leading IET/IEEE journals.

Academic Requirements:

A minimum 2.1 honours degree or equivalent in Electrical and Electronic Engineering or relevant degree is required.

General Information

This 3 year PhD studentship, funded by the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL), commences on 1 October 2013, covers approved tuition fees and a maintenance grant (unknown for 2013/14) is approximately £13,000 - £14,000.

Applicants should apply electronically through the Queen's online application portal at: https://dap.qub.ac.uk/portal/

Further information available at: http://www.qub.ac.uk/schools/eeecs/PhD/PostgraduateResearchScholarships/

Contact details:

Supervisor Name:	Simon Cotton
Address:	The Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT) Queen's University Belfast NI Science Park Queen's Road, Queen's island Belfast, BT3 9DT
Email:	simon.cotton@qub.ac.uk
Tel:	+44 28(0) 9097 1749
Web:	www.ecit.qub.ac.uk/Card/?name=s.cotton