Grant: Strategic Projects - Group

This three-year strategic project deals with a highly original research of millimeter-wave identification, sensing and tracking (MIST) technologies. It stems from the pioneering millimeter-wave work of the applicant's group at Polytechnique Montréal to answer the core ICT (information and communications technologies) challenges in machine-to-machine (M2M) and internet of things (IoT) R&D in connection with the stagnated progress and fundamental limitations of current radiofrequency identification (RFID) techniques at low frequencies. This game-changing scheme explores radically different technologies and creates extremely small MIST devices for communication, powering and sensing operations for high-precision and low-profile integrated services of security and logistics. With the special features of millimeter-waves, innovative universal readers integrated by smart antenna are judiciously studied for illuminating and exchanging with different tags for highly secure and communication-enabled MIST applications. This is accomplished by careful analysis, design and optimization of miniaturized code-rich chipless passive techniques and self-powered integrated active solutions by either CMOS- or diode-rectification. Architecture configurations and system performances are examined theoretically and experimentally. This work is coordinated with frequent exchanges and group meetings between academic researchers and industrial partners for various tasks. The research is conducted for discovering new technical features, new design rules, and new knowledge on MIST. The anticipated activities consist of architecture modeling, antenna analysis, circuit design, experimental prototyping and system demonstration, which create a highly visible example of Canadian research. The project focuses on fundamental research, emerging market needs, and timely addresses worldwide challenges in RFID-related applications. It attracts, involves and trains numerous highly qualified personnel for emerging millimeter-wave wireless development. Research expertise and novel knowledge generated by this program not only enhance Canadian research profile and spur corporate growth, but have an impact on our daily life. This promotes a sustainable development of Canadian society.