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TAKEN projects are in italics
A small loop antenna is encased in dielectric. The frequency is adjusted until the dielectric pill is resonant. The radiation properties are investigated as are the driving point impedance properties of the loop. Typically the loop may be 10cm in diameter and the dielectric encasing structure 20 cms cube.
This idea is for secure short range ultrasonic data communications between close-spaced houses in a street, by bolting transducers onto the incoming rising cold water main. The student investigates the link budget and the practical aspects of this scheme, and determines a specification and constructs a demonstrator.
The student is asked to acquire experimental time series for voltage and light output on a flickering fluorescent lamp: to develop a mathematical model for the chaotic flicker.
The student is asked to investigate machine dependent rounding processes in various kinds of processor, and applications to processor-dependent encryption. The student is also asked to investigate other processor-dependent computation scenarios.
The student is asked to study by literature search, by simulation,
and by measurement, the possibility of making a broadband CP
helical antenna which has variable pitch and diameter. Many
possible profiles for pitch and diameter are possible; the student
should choose one or two of these for investigation.
A subcarrier is modulated onto a light beam by chopping the beam at 300kHz. FSK is used to provide data for the subcarrier. 10 cm Fresnel lenses are used to provide a transmission path across the laboratory. Infrared light is used. The link budget is investigated experimentally. BER measurements are made as the light intensity is reduced.
Slow wave structure antennas
A literature search of slow wave structures used in antenna design is first made. Examples are constructed and measured. Slow wave structures are typically periodically loaded transmission line or single wire or plates.
This project sets up a diffuse infrared network, mediated by the
USB ports, to connect laptops in an office which may already
be saturated with RF signals usually used for wireless networking.
It can be configured for secure comms between a small
number of selectively equipped machines.
This project investigates the use of a commercial mobile phone
and link for command and control purposes in a domestic situation.
A demonstrator would be desirable. Typically the phone
downlink can receive TXT information to perform a number
of specific domestic tasks remotely, without affecting the other
traffic on the link.
This is a broadly-drawn project to investigate the technologies
of arrays of patch antennas as applied to low earth orbit
satellite communications. This is a hardware project and the student
is expected to build, and measure, an array of patches at an appropriate
frequency. Bandwidth considerations are important, as are the steerability