MRI: Acquisition of Microwave and Wireless Communications Test and Measurement laboratory

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Acquisition of Microwave and Wireless Communications Test and Measurement LaboratoryWith this proposal we respectfully request the NSF approval for establishing a critically needed "Microwaveand Wireless Communications Test and Measurement Laboratory" in the College of Engineering at theUniversity of Hawaii. In an attempt to diversify the tourism-based economy in the State of Hawaii, and helpbetter prepare a qualified workforce that will attract high tech companies to the State, the State recentlyestablished the Hawaii Center for Advanced Communications (HCAC) with the mission to do multidisciplinaryresearch in broadband wireless communications and promote much needed ties with industry. The center hasestablished several initiatives along these guidelines, and the proposed laboratory facility will be used to supportseveral of these ongoing and growing number of activities. Specifically, it will help the faculty effectively workon our externally funded research projects, and also help attract industry-sponsored projects for the recentlyestablished Engineering Clinic Program for undergraduates. Examples of the ongoing research projects include:(a) development of low cost, high performance antenna arrays with beam steering capabilities; (b) propagationprediction modeling in urban wireless communications environments; (c) development of computational andpower efficient iterative decoding techniques; (d) DSP algorithms for smart antennas, multiuser detection, andcooperative diversity; (e) retoradiative antenna arrays; and (f) RF and Quasi-Optical devices. Our faculty haspublished hundreds of papers in these areas and the proposed lab facility will help extend its capabilities and setthe stage for its future multidisciplinary research directions. As for the Engineering Clinic program, it placesteams (4-5 students per team) in projects proposed and sponsored by industry, and the College charges $25k perproject. All raised funds go directly to support student activities including project expenses, scholarships for allparticipating students, and travel expenses for the final design reviews at the locations of the sponsoringcompanies. In 2002-2003, the College was able to attract seven projects from in and out of state companies.HCAC has also been approved to participate as a partner in the NSF Industry/University Collaborative ResearchCenter (I/U CRC) at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona, and the proposed lab facility willcertainly help support this as well as the growing number of graduate and undergraduate courses being offeredin the wireless communications area. In addition, the proposed lab facility will help in the implementation ofthe collaborative program between the College of Engineering and the College of Business Administrationaimed at preparing the next generation of entrepreneurs in communications technology.Specific components of the proposed lab facility include: (a) a microwave network analysis lab (AgilentE8361A-Microwave Vector Network Analyzer and an Agilent E4448A spectrum analyzer); (b) an indoorantenna range (Agilent 8530A-Microwave receiver for antenna measurement); (c) a wireless communicationstest-bed (Agilent E4438C signal generator, Agilent 89610A vector signal analyzer, Spirent TSA 5600Wuniversal interference emulator, and Spirent FLEX5/Q1 RF Ch. Emulator); and (d) for the undergraduate lab anadditional two Agilent 8720 network analyzers (in addition to access to the equipment in the above listedresearch labs).Intellectual merits: With the phenomenal growth of wireless communications technology, and with therecognized and long-standing distinguished expertise in the communications technology area at the Universityof Hawaii (first to propose the ALOHA protocol for packet radio systems that subsequently strongly influencedthe development of access Ethernet protocols), the proposed lab facility will help support several externallyfunded (NSF, ARO, DARPA, AFOSR, Raytheon, and TRW) research projects, help promote integrativeresearch and multidisciplinary efforts that will lead to significant advances in developing next generationwireless communications technology. This laboratory facility will also help attract industrial sponsors inprograms such as the Engineering Clinic for undergraduates, and support UH participation in the NSF I/U CRCprogram with other universities.Broader impact: With the recognition of this technology as one of the strategic high tech avenues fordiversifying the Hawaii economy and better preparing the local workforce to help attract companies and growthe industrial base in the State, it is expected that the proposed lab will play a critical role in realizing the visionand achieving the mission of the recently established HCAC. It will also help attract industrial sponsors inprograms such as the Engineering Clinic for undergraduates, and provide test and measurement capabilities forlocal industry and start-ups. The impact of this NSF equipment investment will reach far beyond the Universityand would certainly impact the entire State of Hawaiipreparation of its workforce, growth in its high techbase, and support for its local industry.