CAREER: Biomimetic Super-Resolving Electrically Small Antenna Arrays

本研究的目的是从根本上推进我们的理解超分辨电小天线阵列使用仿生设计理念。该方法是利用声学和电磁系统之间的类比，并开发微型天线阵列，模仿在某些小型脊椎动物和昆虫物种中观察到的超敏锐的定向听觉。智力优势：该项目旨在解决一个根本性的挑战，在该地区的电小天线使用以前未探索的方法。这项工作预计将引入传统小型天线阵列无法实现的超分辨能力。这些功能可以为小型无线系统带来全新的功能水平，并实现当前不可行的应用。 更广泛的影响：该项目有望对社会和经济产生重大的积极影响，彻底改变我们如何应对微波医疗成像、无线网络、雷达系统、传感器、射频识别以及帮助残疾人和视力受损者的射频设备等领域的挑战。这项工作的教育目标与研究目标密切相关，包括促进以工程为导向的初中和高中科学教师的专业发展，将研究活动融入K-12，本科和研究生阶段的科学和工程教学，参与研究的代表性不足的学生，以及开发和广泛传播基于研究的教育材料。预计这些教育活动将间接地对增加攻读工程专业的女生和攻读电气工程专业研究生的少数民族学生的人数产生积极影响。

The objective of this research is to fundamentally advance our understanding of super-resolving electrically small antenna arrays using biomimetic design concepts. The approach is to use the analogies between acoustical and electromagnetic systems and develop miniaturized antenna arrays that mimic the hyperacute sense of directional hearing observed in certain small vertebrates and insect species. Intellectual Merit: This project seeks to address a fundamental challenge in the area of electrically small antennas using a previously unexplored approach. This work is expected to introduce super-resolving capabilities that have not been achieved from conventional small antenna arrays. These capabilities can bring a whole new level of functionality to small wireless systems and enable applications that are not currently feasible. Broader Impacts: This project is expected to have a significantly positive impact on society and economy by revolutionizing how we address challenges in areas such as microwave medical imaging, wireless networks, radar systems, sensors, radio-frequency identification, and radio-frequency devices for assisting the disabled and visually impaired. Educational goals of this work are intimately linked to research goals and include facilitation of engineering-oriented professional development of middle-school and high-school science teachers, integration of research activities into the teaching of science and engineering at the K-12, undergraduate, and graduate levels, involvement of under-represented students in research, and development and broad dissemination of research-based educational materials. Indirectly, these educational activities are expected to have a positive impact on increasing the number of female students who pursue engineering and minority students who pursue graduate studies in electrical engineering.