A*STAR SERC
Ultra Wideband-enabled
Sentient Computing (UWB-SC)
Research Programme
The Ultra Wide Band-enabled Sentient Computing (UWB-SC) Programme is
funded by the Science and Engineering
Research Council (SERC) of the Agency for Science, Technology &
Research (A*STAR) to extend
Sentient computing is a form of ubiquitous computing which emphasizes the
use of sensors to perceive its environment and react accordingly. It interacts closely with people, i.e.
performs intelligent actions which affect and benefit people. Ultra Wide Band (UWB) technology, with
characteristics such as low power consumption, capability for high- and
low-data rate wireless communications and accurate localization, is an
excellent wireless technology for sentient computing.
Research is being carried out at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I2R),
Institute of Microelectronics (IME),
Nanyang Technological University (NTU)
and National University of Singapore
(NUS).
The Programme strives to achieve its
vision by developing core capabilities, system architectural components and
application demonstrators relevant to intelligent environments and smart spaces
for personalized customer service and healthcare. R&D projects in areas such as UWB
antennas and channel characterization, RF transceivers, low power digital
signal processing, baseband signal design and signal processing, localization
and identification, quality of service (QoS)-enabled distributed sensing,
intelligent signal processing for smart spaces and context-aware middleware
have been initiated.
RESEARCH POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Applications are invited for POST-DOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWS / RESEARCH ENGINEERS / RESEARCH
ASSISTANTS research
positions under the respective projects of UWB-SC programme listed below. Interested candidates are invited to e-mail
their Curriculum Vitae (CVs) to the respective project’s Principal Investigator
(PI) at the e-mail address given under each project. Only short-listed
candidates will be notified for an interview.
Research Areas and Projects
There
are eight projects in the UWB-SC research programme covering, from bottom up,
areas such as UWB antennas, RF tranceivers, Digital Signal Processing (DSP),
baseband signal design, localization and identification, Quality of Service
(QoS)-enabled distributed sensing middleware, intelligent signal processing for
smart spaces and context-aware middleware.
The
research outputs will be integrated to create an intelligent environment, also
known as “smart space”, with context-aware reasoning and seamless sensing
(audio, video, light, temperature etc.), low-rate and high-rate wireless
communications and localization capabilities.
In particular, attention will be paid to the case where persons and
objects of interest are mobile in the environment. These concepts will be made concrete in two
application demonstration vehicles: personalized shopping experience and
personalized healthcare.
The
eight projects in the UWB-SC research programme are:
1.
Scalable and
Wearable UWB-enabled Devices: UWB Antennas and Channel Characterization (PI:
Dr Chen Zhining, I2R)
2.
Scalable and
Wearable UWB-enabled Devices: Reconfigurable RF Transceiver IC Platform for
Communication and Localization (PI: Dr Zheng Yuanjin, IME)
3.
Scalable and
Wearable UWB-enabled Devices: Adaptive Power Aware Digital Signal Processing
Circuits (PI: A/Prof
4.
Ranging and
Low Rate Communication for an IR-UWB RFID System (PI: A/Prof Guan Yong
Liang, NTU)
5.
Localization and
Identification: System architectural components and core capability development
for UWB-SC (PI: A/Prof Law Choi Look, NTU)
6.
UWB-enabled
Sentient Computing Architecture and Middleware with Coordinated QoS (USCAM-CQ)
(PI: A/Prof
7.
Smart Space
enabled by Sentient Computing (PI: A/Prof Ser Wee, NTU)
8.
Context Aware
Middleware Services and Programming Support for Sentient Computing (PI:
A/Prof Pung Hung Keng, NUS)
These
projects fit into the vertical scheme shown below:
Figure 1 –The outcomes of the eight
research projects of the UWB-SC research programme will be made concrete in two
application scenarios.
Note: the required technical
functionality comes from the specific project indicated by the number in square
brackets and shown in the list above.
During
the course of the TSRP, a detailed architecture and platform comprising
hardware components, including a chip-set, and software components with
middleware, will be designed to interface and link the different components of
the research outputs.
For more information, please contact:
Associate
Professor
UWB-SC
TSRP Programme Manager
E-mail:
eletck@nus.edu.sg
Mr
Soh Kok Hoe
SERC
Programme Officer
A*STAR
E-mail: SOH_Kok_Hoe@a-star.edu.sg