Miniaturized Microwave Devices and Antennas for Wearable, Implantable and Wireless Applications

This thesis presents a number of microwave devices and antennas that maintain high operational efficiency and are compact in size at the same time. One goal of this thesis is to address several miniaturization challenges of antennas and microwave components by using the theoretical principles of metamaterials, Metasurface coupling resonators and stacked radiators, in combination with the elementary antenna and transmission line theory. While innovating novel solutions, standards and specifications of next generation wireless and bio-medical applications were considered to ensure advancement in the respective scientific fields. Compact reconfigurable phase-shifter and a microwave cross-over based on negative-refractive-index transmission-line (NRI-TL) materialist unit cells is presented. A Metasurface based wearable sensor architecture is proposed, containing an electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) structure backed monopole antenna for off-body communication and a fork shaped antenna for efficient radiation towards the human body. A fully parametrized solution for an implantable antenna is proposed using metallic coated stacked substrate layers. Challenges and possible solutions for off-body, on-body, through-body and across-body communication have been investigated with an aid of computationally extensive simulations and experimental verification. Next, miniaturization and implementation of a UWB antenna along with an analytical model to predict the resonance is presented. Lastly, several miniaturized rectifiers designed specifically for efficient wireless power transfer are proposed, experimentally verified, and discussed. The study answered several research questions of applied electromagnetic in the field of bio-medicine and wireless communication.Comment: A thesis submitted for the degree of Ph

SERVICE QUALITY, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND LOYALTY IN BANKING SECTOR OF PAKISTAN

The major purpose of the research paper is to measure the quality of service offered by private banks operating in Pakistan. Moreover, it tries to investigate the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty. In order for a bank offer to reach the customers, there is a need for services. These services depend on the type of product and it differs in the various organizations. Service can be defined as an intangible offer by one party to another in exchange of money for Service quality in the management and marketing literature is the extent to which customers' perceptions of service meet and/or exceed their expectations. Thus service quality can intend to be the way in which customers are served in an organization which could be good or poor. A loyalty program may give a customer advanced access to new products, special sales coupons or free merchandise. Our study shows the three basic aspects of a customer in the banking sector which are service quality, customer satisfaction and banking loyalty in the banking sector. The findings of our study show that most of our respondents are well satisfied with banking services to provide by different commercial and Islamic banks such as HBL, UBL, NBP, MCB etc. in Peshawar sadder. The services provided by the banks particularly ATM machines are very praised by the customers. The loyalty provided to customers by the banks was   also very good and most of the respondents were satisfy from that but there were also some major problems in these banking sectors for customers which should be handled as soon as possible for their good services we also find out that the banking policies for customer services and to maintain loyalty with customer should be enhanced more precisel

Genotypic response of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) for resistance against gram pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera)

Background: Chickpea is an important pulse crop of Pakistan. The pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner), is the major pest in most of the chickpea growing areas of the country. A field trial was carried out at Entomological Research Area, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI), Faisalabad, during growing season of 2012-13 to evaluate the resistance of chickpea genotypes against gram pod borer (Helicoverpa armigera).Methods: Experiments were conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications having plot size of 3 ft × 20 ft. Morphological characters of chickpea like pod trichome, pod wall thickness, pod length, pod breadth, pod area and number of pods per plant were measured. The pod borer larval population/pod infestation was recorded from fifteen randomly selected plants per plot after ten days interval.Results: It was found that the genotypes which had higher trichomes length and density and pod wall thickness were more resistant against Helicoverpa infestation. Significant genetic variation for resistance against Helicoverpa armigera attack was found in chickpea and variety K-70005 showed resistant behavior followed by K-08004 and K-60062.Conclusions: It was concluded from prescribed study that the most susceptible genotypes were K-70005, K-08004 and K-70008 for the attack of Helicoverpa armigera to reduce grain yield

Functional Role of MicroRNAs in Embryogenesis

This book chapter will provide an overview of the functional role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in embryogenesis. A brief introduction to embryogenesis and emphasis on the importance of miRNAs in gene regulation will be provided. The biogenesis and mechanism of action of miRNAs will be discussed in detail with a focus on the importance of miRNA-mRNA interaction in gene regulation. The chapter will then delve into the role of miRNAs in early embryonic development, including their importance in the establishment of the three germ layers, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis during embryogenesis. The role of miRNAs in organogenesis and tissue differentiation, specifically the formation of specific organs such as the heart, lung, liver, and brain, will also be discussed. The chapter will conclude by examining the dysregulation of miRNAs in embryonic development and disease, including teratogenicity, developmental disorders, and developmental cancer. The chapter will summarize the functional roles of miRNAs in embryogenesis and will offer future perspectives and potential therapeutic applications of miRNAs in embryonic development and disease

Design and analysis of Maxwell fisheye lens based beamformer

Antenna arrays and multi-antenna systems are essential in beyond 5G wireless networks for providing wireless connectivity, especially in the context of Internet-of-Everything. To facilitate this requirement, beamforming technology is emerging as a key enabling solution for adaptive on-demand wireless coverage. Despite digital beamforming being the primary choice for adaptive wireless coverage, a set of applications rely on pure analogue beamforming approaches, e.g., in point-to-multi point and physical-layer secure communication links. In this work, we present a novel scalable analogue beamforming hardware architecture that is capable of adaptive 2.5-dimensional beam steering and beam shaping to fulfil the coverage requirements. Beamformer hardware comprises of a finite size Maxwell fisheye lens used as a scalable feed network solution for a semi-circular array of monopole antennas. This unique hardware architecture enables a flexibility of using 2 to 8 antenna elements. Beamformer development stages are presented while experimental beam steering and beam shaping results show good agreement with the estimated performance

Design of Portable Exoskeleton Forearm for Rehabilitation of Monoparesis Patients Using Tendon Flexion Sensing Mechanism for Health Care Applications

Technology plays a vital role in patient rehabilitation, improving the quality of life of an individual. The increase in functional independence of disabled individuals requires adaptive and commercially available solutions. The use of sensor-based technology helps patients and therapeutic practices beyond traditional therapy. Adapting skeletal tracking technology could automate exercise tracking, records, and feedback for patient motivation and clinical treatment interventions and planning. In this paper, an exoskeleton was designed and subsequently developed for patients who are suffering from monoparesis in the upper extremities. The exoskeleton was developed according to the dimensions of a patient using a 3D scanner, and then fabricated with a 3D printer; the mechanism for the movement of the hand is a tendon flexion mechanism with servo motor actuators controlled by an ATMega2560 microcontroller. The exoskeleton was used for force augmentation of the patient’s hand by taking the input from the hand via flex sensors, and assisted the patient in closing, opening, grasping, and picking up objects, and it was also able to perform certain exercises for the rehabilitation of the patient. The exoskeleton is portable, reliable, durable, intuitive, and easy to install and use at any time

Dynamically Reconfigurable SIR Filter Using Rectenna and Active Booster

Obrađeni su populacijski parametri čaglja (Cannis aureus L.) u proteklom desetogodišnjem razdoblju. Istraživanjem su se obuhvatila lovišta koja pripadaju širem području plavljenja rijeke Save. Rezultati ovog istraživanja pomažu boljem razumijevanju dinamike populacije čaglja i širenju areala ove vrste koja je već prisutna na čitavom prostoru Republike Hrvatske