Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

A modern exploitation of mineral resources in the mining industry needs reliable and modern communications systems to continue to improve the worker's safety while reducing the operational costs. These communications systems must be able of transmitting voice, video surveillance, tele-operation of mining equipment, data, wireless sensors networks, geo-location and tracking of personnel and assets throughout the mine simultaneously. In fact, the wireless communication systems used on surface cannot be applied straightaway in underground mines, due to various factors including the complex geological structures, asymmetric mine topology, uneven mine structure, and extensive labyrinths. In order to increase the system performance in those complex environments, the benefits of using Multiple-Input Multiple-Output MIMO system can be the key toward the improvement of the capacity under multimedia and multi-rate services. A key feature of MIMO systems is the ability to turn multipath propagation, traditionally a pitfall of wireless transmission, into a benefit for the user. Moreover, MIMO technology at mm-wave is a very promising candidate. With a huge spectrum of 5-7 GHz allocated as an unlicensed band worldwide, the 60 GHz frequency range has become attractive for future indoor networkingIn fact, since MIMO-antennas operate in harsh environment, their services life-time integrity could be seriously and significantly compromised. Indeed, over time, small rock-fall, which may involve hand-sized rocks weighing only a few kilograms, induced by multiple possible factors can form. The proposed research project embarks on mm-wave antenna design and development for MIMO system on LCP substrates. This type of material (LCP) has shown to be an excellent material for high temperature/humidity dielectric stability up to mm-wave frequencies. The three years duration of the project will lead to the realization of a new MIMO platform for future wireless underground communication systems. The technology developed in this project is also of interest to many existing and emerging industries, active in the area of RF and microwave wireless communications.