GOALI: Design of Imbedded Microstrip Antennas for Wireless Communication and Remote Sensing

传统的无线通信是在空对空环境中进行的。嵌入式应用需要能够在空气-地下接口或地下-地下接口中工作的硬件。例如，可以植入人体内的天线，用于与植入式医疗设备（心脏起搏器和除颤器、植入式神经和肌肉刺激器以及激素泵）进行数据链接，雪崩发射器，以及从装满腐蚀性或危险物质的罐中进行通信。除了使用嵌入式天线进行无线通信外，这些天线还可以作为出色的传感器，因为它们对环境本身很敏感。它们被用于遥感地球物理勘探，介电测量，农业测量，动物或人类的接近感测，并可能在冰雪监测雪崩预测。除了目前对嵌入式天线的需求外，预计将在下一代技术中发挥主导作用的MEMS和无线通信系统的扩展将大大增加嵌入式天线的应用。超小型设备（例如，小到可以注射到人体静脉中）以及与它们通信的愿望将不可避免地导致对嵌入有损环境的小型化天线的需求。此外，由于这些天线可以作为传感器和通信器，监测和控制MEMS设备的可能性是巨大的，微带天线是MEMS设备的自然补充。该项目预测了对嵌入有损环境中的微带天线的深入了解的深远需求，这种理解可以为医学、太空、农业等新领域的传感和通信贡献巨大的新能力。业界对嵌入式天线的兴趣非常高，该实验室资助的研究项目已经在进行商业产品的beta测试。这些工业项目在嵌入式天线设计方面提供了优秀的经验，但需要NSF的资助来系统地开发一个完整的分析关键天线设计参数（尺寸、形状、馈电系统、衬底、衬底等）对性能（增益、带宽、辐射方向图、谐振频率、阻抗等）的影响。需要这种严格的理解来澄清经验观察到的影响并产生全局最佳设计。本提案的目标是量化嵌入式微带天线设计参数对性能的影响，设计“智能”嵌入式贴片天线以适应不断变化的环境，开发用于在有损环境中测试天线的人造材料，并在整个天线开发过程中继续与工业对接。

0080559FurseTraditional wireless communication is done in an air-to-air environment. Imbedded applications require hardware that can function in an air-to-subsurface interface or subsurface -to- subsurface interface. Examples include antennas that can be implanted in the human body for data links with implantable medical devices (cardiac pacemakers and defibrillators, implantable nerve and muscle stimulators, and hormone pumps), avalanche transmitters, and communication from inside tanks filled with caustic or dangerous materials. In addition to the use of imbedded antennas for wireless communication, these antennas make excellent sensors because they are inherently sensitive to their environment. They are used for remote sensing in geophysical prospecting, dielectric measurement, agricultural measurement, animal or human proximity sensing, and potentially in ice and snow monitoring for avalanche prediction.In addition to the present needs for imbedded antennas, the expansion of MEMS and wireless communication systems, which are expected to play a dominant role in next generation technology, will add dramatically to the applications for imbedded antennas. Ultra-small devices (small enough to be injected in a human vein, for instance) and the desire to communicate with them will inevitably lead to the need for miniaturized antennas imbedded in lossy environments. Furthermore, since these antennas can act as sensors as well as communicators, the possibilities for monitoring and controlling MEMS devices are enormous, and microstrip antennas are a natural addition to MEMS devices. This project anticipates a far-reaching need for a better understanding of microstrip antennas imbedded in lossy environments, an understanding that can contribute a dramatic new ability to sense and communicate with new frontiers in medicine, space, agriculture, and more.Industrial interest in imbedded antennas is extremely high, and funded research projects from this laboratory are already being beta tested for commercial products. These industrial projects have provided excellent experience in imbedded antenna design, but NSF funding is needed to systematically develop a complete analysis of the effects of the critical antenna design parameters (size, shape, feed system, substrate, superstrate, etc.) on performance (gain, bandwidth, radiation pattern, resonant frequency, impedance, etc.). This rigorous understanding is needed to clarify the effects empirically observed and to produce globally optimal designs.The objectives of this proposal are to quantify the effects of imbedded microstrip antenna design parameters on performance, design "smart" imbedded patch antennas to adapt to changing environments, develop artificial materials for testing antennas in lossy environments, and continue interfacing with industry throughout antenna developments.