Principle Investigator: Omar Hiari
Fund Source: Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation
Project Timeline: October 2018 — October 2019
Fund Amount: 15,000.00 JDs
Abstract: Multiple input multiple output (MIMO) space modulation techniques (SMTs) have emerged recently as candidates that can support the requirements of the 5G standard. Recent research has also introduced SMT hardware implementation designs. While SMTs provide the promise of reduced footprint and power consumption, for applications that require reliability, hardware implementations can experience failures that either affect the system performance or make it fail completely. Therefore, this project aims at studying the reliability of SMTs hardware and attempts to provide models that can quantify impact of failures. The models developed can ultimately be utilized for different purposes. Some include aiding product designers in making system assumptions or even to provide indicators for smart systems to make decisions.
Principle Investigator: Raed Mesleh
Co-PI: Ala' Khalifeh
Fund Source: The Scientific Research Fund (SRF), Jordanian Ministry of Higher Education
Project Timeline: January 2017 — January 2019
Fund Amount: 25,630.00 JDs.
Abstract: This project will implement an acousto modulator for free space optical communication systems. New modulation techniques will be
developed and analyzed mathematically. The performance of the developed algorithms will be evaluated numerically using Matlab
and other optical specialized software. Novel transmission and reception techniques are envisaged. A robust high data rate system to
channel imperfections will be targeted. Results will be compared to existing state of the art techniques such as on-off keying,
repetition coding, space shift keying, OFDM and others. In addition, a hardware implementation for an acousto optical
communication system will be developed and used as a proof of concept for the suggested ideas.
Principle Investigator: Omar Hiari
Co-PI: Raed Mesleh
Fund Source: The Deanship of Scientific Research, German Jordanian University
Project Timeline: January 2017 — May 2019
Fund Amount: 54,400.00 JDs.
Abstract: The emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) lately has introduced multiple challenges that require improvement. IoT applications span various technologies such as, but not limited to, smart cities, smart grids, intelligent transportation, and health monitoring. IoT applications therefore have introduced the demand for connected systems that are secure, more reliable, small in size, communicate faster, and consume less power. Moreover, the downscaling of IoT device size is usually accompanied with a reduction in the size of attached energy storage devices. Some applications that are not connected to a continuous power source would therefore need to last for long durations without the need for a recharge or energy source replacement. Typically, the wireless aspect in most of IoT devices is the part that demands the most power. This, inevitably, will make the wireless aspect of IoT systems play an important role in addressing the challenging IoT device demands.
Decreasing the amount of energy demanded by the wireless part of an IoT device is typically addressed by the following:
• Reducing the amount and/or size of the hardware.
• Increasing the data rate such that more information is sent in less time. This allows the wireless hardware to spend more time in a low power state (not transmitting). In other words, enhancing the spectral efficiency of the wireless transmitter.
The challenge remains, however, at keeping the wireless aspect also secure and reliable. Some of the latest research in wireless systems provides the promise that could potentially aid IoT systems with their challenges. However, these latest wireless research schemes, as Index Modulation (IM) techniques, have not introduced any proven hardware implementations yet.
The main objectives of this research project are as follows:
• To investigate the hardware implementation challenges and viability of spatial modulation using commercial off the shelf components. Create a wireless transmitter embedded hardware framework for variable IM techniques based on software defined radio.
Principle Investigator: Raed Mesleh
Fund Source: The Deanship of Scientific Research, German Jordanian University
Project Timeline: January 2017 — January 2018
Fund Amount: 18,660.00 JDs
Abstract: Index modulation (IM) multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transmission techniques are a group of communication transmission protocols in which an additional spatial constellation diagram is utilized to convey information bits. In conventional MIMO systems, such as spatial multiplexing and space-time coding, multiple antennas are used at the transmitter to simultaneously transmit signals sharing the same time and frequency. Hence, higher data rate through multiplexing gain and/or better throughput through diversity gain can be achieved. However, and due to the simultaneous transmission of data, inter-channel interference exists at the receiver and resolving it requires complex receiver algorithms, which significantly increases the complexity and the cost of such systems. In IM systems, such as space shift keying (SSK), spatial modulation (SM) and others, only one or more of the available antennas at the transmitter is activated at one particular time instant to avoid ICI drawback. At the same time, multiplexing gain can be achieved through encoding data bits in the index of the active antennas. Such techniques witnessed tremendous attention in the past few years and has been under deep investigations by variant researchers worldwide.
A common advantage that all such techniques share is the need of a single RF—chain at the transmitter. This is unlike other MIMO schemes, such as spatial multiplexing and space-time coding, where each transmit antenna is driven by one RF-chain. Therefore, these techniques are anticipated to reduce the cost, complexity, and energy consumption of the transmitter. However, and until the moment of writing this report, the way to practically implement the variant available IM techniques with single RF-chain is not addressed. Even, in several publications, authors made wrong assumptions about the needed hardware components for such techniques.
Therefore, the aim of this project is to implement, design and measure the performance of such techniques with optimized hardware components at the transmitter side and complex receiver architecture. The end product should be an optimized single RF—chain transmitter that facilitates index modulation transmission with optimum receiver detection.