MRI: Acquisition of Smart Antenna Laboratory Equipment

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Research Objectives and Approaches: The objective of this research is to meet the ever-increasing demand for reliable, secure high-bandwidth wireless communications. Bandwidth demand is being met with innovative new technologies and standards; however, the success and proliferation of these systems causes increased wireless interference, which inadvertently reduces the reliability and bandwidth of these and adjacent systems. The approach is to provide Smart Antenna Laboratory equipment that enables innovators to address issues by facilitating the design, simulation, and testing of interference-reducing, high-performance communications radios, algorithms, and antenna systems. Intellectual Merit: As digital computational densities have followed Moore?s law, so has the complexity and performance of wireless digital communication systems. Nearly all new wireless standards use multi-antenna techniques to increase spectral efficiency and resulting system bandwidth. As the system complexity increases so does the barrier-to-entry for companies and educational institutions requiring access to the instrumentation, measurements and simulation environments required to complete robust designs and research. The establishment of the laboratory will drop this barrier-to-entry.Broader Impacts: The Smart Antenna Laboratory at Gonzaga University leads to improved reliability for life-critical first responder communications and smart grid energy and natural resource management. It provides collaborative research and educational opportunities for faculty and students at three additional universities and one community college. Wireless technology companies are committed to collaborating with member institutions and utilizing the equipment. Native American summer science and other science, technology, engineering and math related programs expose at least 1000 K-12 students annually to Gonzaga University?s technologists and labs.