Design and Implementation of System Components for Radio Frequency Based Asset Tracking Devices to Enhance Location Based Services. Study of angle of arrival techniques, effects of mutual coupling, design of an angle of arrival algorithm, design of a novel miniature reconfigurable antenna optimised for wireless communication systems

The angle of arrival estimation of multiple sources plays a vital role in the field of array signal processing as MIMO systems can be employed at both the transmitter and the receiver end and the system capacity, reliability and throughput can be significantly increased by using array signal processing. Almost all applications require accurate direction of arrival (DOA) estimation to localize the sources of the signals. Another important parameter of localization systems is the array geometry and sensor design which can be application specific and is used to estimate the DOA. In this work, various array geometries and arrival estimation algorithms are studied and then a new scheme for multiple source estimation is proposed and evaluated based on the performance of subspace and non-subspace decomposition methods. The proposed scheme has shown to outperform the conventional Multiple Signal Classification (MUSIC) estimation and Bartlett estimation techniques. The new scheme has a better performance advantage at low and high signal to noise ratio values (SNRs). The research work also studies different array geometries for both single and multiple incident sources and proposes a geometry which is cost effective and efficient for 3, 4, and 5 antenna array elements. This research also considers the shape of the ground plane and its effects on the angle of arrival estimation and in addition it shows how the mutual couplings between the elements effect the overall estimation and how this error can be minimised by using a decoupling matrix. At the end, a novel miniaturised multi element reconfigurable antenna to represent the receiver base station is designed and tested. The antenna radiation patterns in the azimuth angle are almost omni-directional with linear polarisation. The antenna geometry is uniplanar printed logspiral with striplines feeding network and biased components to improve the impedance bandwidth. The antenna provides the benefit of small size, and re-configurability and is very well suited for the asset tracking applications

1-D broadside-radiating leaky-wave antenna based on a numerically synthesized impedance surface

A newly-developed deterministic numerical technique for the automated design of metasurface antennas is applied here for the first time to the design of a 1-D printed Leaky-Wave Antenna (LWA) for broadside radiation. The surface impedance synthesis process does not require any a priori knowledge on the impedance pattern, and starts from a mask constraint on the desired far-field and practical bounds on the unit cell impedance values. The designed reactance surface for broadside radiation exhibits a non conventional patterning; this highlights the merit of using an automated design process for a design well known to be challenging for analytical methods. The antenna is physically implemented with an array of metal strips with varying gap widths and simulation results show very good agreement with the predicted performance

Beam scanning by liquid-crystal biasing in a modified SIW structure

A fixed-frequency beam-scanning 1D antenna based on Liquid Crystals (LCs) is designed for application in 2D scanning with lateral alignment. The 2D array environment imposes full decoupling of adjacent 1D antennas, which often conflicts with the LC requirement of DC biasing: the proposed design accommodates both. The LC medium is placed inside a Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) modified to work as a Groove Gap Waveguide, with radiating slots etched on the upper broad wall, that radiates as a Leaky-Wave Antenna (LWA). This allows effective application of the DC bias voltage needed for tuning the LCs. At the same time, the RF field remains laterally confined, enabling the possibility to lay several antennas in parallel and achieve 2D beam scanning. The design is validated by simulation employing the actual properties of a commercial LC medium

Satellite Communications

This study is motivated by the need to give the reader a broad view of the developments, key concepts, and technologies related to information society evolution, with a focus on the wireless communications and geoinformation technologies and their role in the environment. Giving perspective, it aims at assisting people active in the industry, the public sector, and Earth science fields as well, by providing a base for their continued work and thinking

DRONE DELIVERY OF CBNRECy – DEW WEAPONS Emerging Threats of Mini-Weapons of Mass Destruction and Disruption (WMDD)

Drone Delivery of CBNRECy – DEW Weapons: Emerging Threats of Mini-Weapons of Mass Destruction and Disruption (WMDD) is our sixth textbook in a series covering the world of UASs and UUVs. Our textbook takes on a whole new purview for UAS / CUAS/ UUV (drones) – how they can be used to deploy Weapons of Mass Destruction and Deception against CBRNE and civilian targets of opportunity. We are concerned with the future use of these inexpensive devices and their availability to maleficent actors. Our work suggests that UASs in air and underwater UUVs will be the future of military and civilian terrorist operations. UAS / UUVs can deliver a huge punch for a low investment and minimize human casualties.https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/1046/thumbnail.jp

ReSCon '11, Research Student Conference: Book of Abstracts

The fourth SED Research Student Conference (ReSCon2011) was hosted over three days, 20-22 June 2011, in the Hamilton Centre at Brunel University. The conference consisted of technical presentations, a poster session and social events. which focused on current research being conducted within the School of Engineering and Design by postgraduate research students from the School. The conference is held annually, and ReSCon plays a key role in contributing to research and innovations within the School

Proceedings of the 11th international conference on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components

This Conference, the eleventh in a series on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components, was held in Jeju Island, Korea, from 19th to 21st of May 2015. The scientific programme was co-produced by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Transport (EC-JRC/IET). Previous conferences were held in Amsterdam in October 1998, New Orleans in May 2000, Seville in November 2001, London in December 2004, San Diego in May 2006, Budapest in October 2007, Yokohama in May 2009, Berlin in September 2010, Seattle in May 2012, and Cannes in October 2013. All were highly successful in the quality and scope of the technical programs and the number of attendees from all countries with an interest in the structural integrity of nuclear and pressurized components. The overall objectives of the Conference were to provide an up-to-date assessment of the development and application of NDE and to allow technical interchange between experts on an international basis. The Conference covered all aspects of this extremely important subject, with special regard to the links between structural integrity requirements and NDE performance. The development of improved NDE systems and methods was highlighted. Determination of NDE performance by development of qualification systems or performance demonstration, and experience of their use in practice was prominently featured.JRC.F.5-Nuclear Reactor Safety Assessmen

Proceedings of the 11th international conference on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components

This Conference, the eleventh in a series on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components, was held in Jeju Island, Korea, from 19th to 21st of May 2015. The scientific programme was co-produced by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Transport (EC-JRC/IET). Previous conferences were held in Amsterdam in October 1998, New Orleans in May 2000, Seville in November 2001, London in December 2004, San Diego in May 2006, Budapest in October 2007, Yokohama in May 2009, Berlin in September 2010, Seattle in May 2012, and Cannes in October 2013. All were highly successful in the quality and scope of the technical programs and the number of attendees from all countries with an interest in the structural integrity of nuclear and pressurized components. The overall objectives of the Conference were to provide an up-to-date assessment of the development and application of NDE and to allow technical interchange between experts on an international basis. The Conference covered all aspects of this extremely important subject, with special regard to the links between structural integrity requirements and NDE performance. The development of improved NDE systems and methods was highlighted. Determination of NDE performance by development of qualification systems or performance demonstration, and experience of their use in practice was prominently featured.JRC.F.5-Nuclear Reactor Safety Assessmen