EECS Seminar
Host: Jinho Choi/Language: English
Thursday, July 21, 2016, 16:30-17:30
#203, EECS-B Bldg. 2nd Floor
Ultra-small device centric
communications
Youngwook Ko, PhD
Assistant Professor, Queen"s University Belfast
Abstract
Internet of Things (IoT) market will reach $14.4 trillion, growing to 20 billion connected devices, by 2020. As part of the beyond-2020 connected-society vision, device-to-device (D2D) technology is vital to remotely interconnect devices / sensors (e.g., in- and on-human body) with an expected significant increase in IoT device applications. Emerging D2D is a key technology to advance communication capabilities both inside and outside vehicles of today and future vehicle networks. In particular, along with IoT sensors, in the next 3 years, 89% of new cars is expected to produce connectivity services and products. Wireless sensing D2D in vehicle networks is able to support a real-time monitoring of a driving state, leading to tracking automotive vehicles. D2D connectivity as part of inter-connection among vehicles (connected cars – especially electric cars) provides greater safety to passengers and prevents injuries on roadways. Such advanced D2D solutions are vital for future V2V networks, demanding in- and off-car connectivity, especially with enhanced robustness to fast movement of vehicle. Moreover, small D2D as part of wearable IoT technology is vital to remotely interconnect devices / sensors (e.g., on and off body) in connected-health applications. For example, the connected healthcare market will be worth £37 billion globally by 2020, an average increase of 33% each year. Due to rapidly increasing demands for connected-health, today’s range of wearable body sensors can measure an impressive range of parameters such as heart rate variability, skin temperature, exposure to the sun, back posture. More than simply an early warning for serious illness, such body sensors can have a major impact on the global medical/non-medical IoT industry. However, today wireless connectivity of small devices in various applications (e.g., wearable and vehicular network) is very far from its maximum potential. With emphasis mainly on miniaturising sensors themselves and with increasing density of random sensors, there is presently no universal connectivity way to reliably access real-time signals at feasible complexity. To maximize potential of very small D2D applications, it is timely to find out new concepts of D2D connectivity that can reliably access real-time measurement of a range of signals, at very low-complexity, low-cost and low-power such that the usability and end-user benefits are maximised.
In this talk, we will overview potentials of D2D connectivity in several applications. Unlike traditional wireless systems, D2D systems introduce a new wireless landscape, where lots of machine type devices are easily deployed in metallic cavities (not in open space) and have been found to exhibit frequency and spatially dependent fading whose severity exceeds those predicted by the Rayleigh fading model. We will discuss several D2D connectivity methods which can be suitable to very small D2D applications at low cost and low complexity, and can reduce vulnerability of future ultra-small devices which demands a significant reduction in both size and power, for non-conventional environments.
Short Biography
Dr. Ko received Ph.D. in 2006 in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ USA. After his Ph.D., he worked at several places: Samsung Electronics until 2008, as a senior engineer; University of Alberta until 2010, as a postdoctoral fellow; and University of Surrey between 2010-2013, as a research fellow and then senior fellow. Since 2013, Dr Ko is a lecturer (assistant professor) in the Institute of Electronics, Communications, and Information Technology (ECIT) at Queen"s University Belfast. During his active research career, he has been involved in and managed several research projects (e.g., EPSRC, EU FP7 ICT, Newton Fund), as a PI, CI, and project coordinator. He has authored or co-authored over 30 publications in major IEEE international journals, peer-reviewed international conferences and technical reports. Dr Ko is the recipient of the prestigious EPSRC First Grant Award, given the success funding rate of around 22 % in the ICT theme, in 2014 and has acted as invited speaker and session chair at numerous national / international conferences. He has developed expertise and hands on experience in the design of air-interface technology for practical wireless communication systems, such as WiFi, LTE, Cognitive Radio, etc. His current research is in the area of air-interface technology for the next generation wireless device-centric communications.