Magneto-Photonic Crystal Isolators  This technology allows for the development and fabrication of an ultra-short optical isolator that can be integrated onto a microchip. Isolators created with this technology could be used in integrated photonic circuits and are smaller and more inexpensive than isolators fabricated by traditional means. |
Fault Tolerant Computing Dr. Kieckhafer is heading an area focused on fault tolerant distributed computing. The core of this work involves voting algorithms that allow redundant computers to come to agreement by eliminating the most unlikely fault mode. This work has a broad range of relevance. |
Pedestrian Detection System This is a novel approach to vehicle warning systems. The system is “active” in the sense that it relies on the external objects to be avoided to communicate their presence to the vehicle on their own. In this approach, the external objects inform the car of their presence without the car having to directly search for them. The means by which this is accomplished in by a wireless signal that presumably each pedestrian would be giving out from their cellular phones. The car’s detection system would assume that wherever a cellular signal is present, so is a pedestrian. Additional objects that a driver would also want to avoid (such as a bridge), could be given the ability to also send a cellular signal to the car. |
Magnetic Photonic Crystals Researchers are in the process of developing important materials research solutions that will enable the application of thin film magnetic photonic crystals to high performance electro-optical devices. Of great interest is a process that allows characterization and measurement of properties of novel materials that can simultaneously show piezoelectric properties, and change their index of refraction. These materials are used as [photonic crystals], materials that selectively filter frequencies of light and are tunable with an electric field. |
Center for Nanomaterials Research The Center for Nanomaterials Research is an interim center at Michigan Tech leading to a more comprehensive center focusing on the science and applications of technologies across many orders of dimensional magnitude and integrating nanotechnologies with microtechnologies and conventional systems. The interdisciplinary research can be summarized in three areas. The first is the modeling and development of room-temperature single electron transistors coupled with proteins to form nanosensors and electronics for sensing applications. These components are based on quantum effects that dominate at component sizes of approximately 10 nanometers or less. Biological proteins offer many sensing advantages including narrowly defined sensitivity, no power consumption, and self-assembly. The second area is the modeling and development of magnetic nanophotonic devices for optical communications and navigation systems. These devices literally grow and shrink under the influence of a magnetic field changing the transmission properties of light. These are efficient filters and modulators that can operate over a wide spectrum in a single device. The third area is the physical and functional integration of these devices with microscale and conventional systems through interconnection technologies. The electrical and mechanical behavior of connections that operate at both the nanoscale and microscale will be systematically evaluated. Component feature sizes may be as small as several nanometers in devices with dimensions of micrometers driving a system with dimensions of millimeters. The thrust of the center is to develop technologies that exploit the advantages of small size and low power of nanoscale components and yet retain the functionality of conventional-sized systems. |
Broadband Communication Systems  This research program covers a range of targets in broadband communication systems including ultra-broadband wireless communication networks and testbed, routing, protocol design and analysis. Additional topics for investigation are spread spectrum communications, CDMA, signal design and detection, modulation and coding, and synchronization.
This research program also covers optical wireless communications networks, ultra-broadband wireless transceiver design and implementation, communications circuits, and integrated broadband automotive networks. |
Information System Modeling, Management and Efficient Data Retrieval This research is focused at correlating the application level data-modeling requirements to the data-representation power of the database system architectures. Complex applications in engineering, financial, and biological systems are being studied with their systemic implementations using the relational, object-relational, object-oriented, and deductive database models. The challenge faced in efficient evaluation of complex content-based queries constitutes a significant component of this research. |
Networks for Distributed Sensor Processing This is a research program with specific applications in sensor networks. General research capabilities include statistical sensor array processing, adaptive filtering, target tracking, Bayesian inference, and decision network theory and applications. The research is focused on ultra-wideband wireless communications, cognitive radio networks, distributed sensor processing and networking, including synchronization and channel equalization, multi-user and distributed detection, MIMO systems, dynamic spectrum access, and information fusion for sensor networks. |
Sensor, Ad Hoc and Wireless Network Security and Vulnerability This research and technology development program is focused on sensor networks including issues related to vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET), wireless ad hoc networks and sensor networks, cross-layer network design, dependable computing and communication systems, as well as network resource allocation & management. Most recent activity has been focused on tireless network security: cyber security assessment, systematic security design as well as vulnerability analysis and trust models for wireless ad hoc and sensor networks. |
Memory Controller Interconnect and Policy Determination This research program is focused on developing novel interconnect techniques and DRAM controller management policies to reduce the latency to memory access. The research examines the potential for improved performance when the memory controller changes from a static control policy to a dynamic control scheme. For example, as the amount of state present in DRAM devices increases, the available set of memory controller policy decisions also increases; this increased flexibility allows an intelligent memory controller to optimize controller policies to achieve increased performance. This impact is simulated over a variety of interconnection topologies from the current NorthBridge to a CMP architecture with multiple DRAM busses. |
Magneto-Electric Nanostructures for Novel Microwave The objective of this collaborative research is to fabricate and study the magneto-electric interactions in novel one-dimensional ferromagnetic-ferroelectric nanostructures, and to exploit them for innovative device applications. The program is motivated by theoretical models that suggest much stronger interactions in such nanostructure geometries than in standard thin films and laminate structures. The approach is to synthesize nanowire and nanotube composites consisting of ferroelectric materials, such as lead zirconium titanante or barium titanate, with ferrimagnetic nickel- or cobalt ferrite.
A comprehensive research program is planned consisting of the following components: sample fabrication, structural characterization, magneto-electric interaction studies spanning a wide frequency range, device studies, and theoretical modeling. Efforts will focus on the creation of novel nanostructures using innovative processing methods and examine their use for a new class of microwave devices that are both electric and magnetic field tunable. At the University of Alabama, the PI will lead the sample fabrication, structural characterization and device fabrication efforts; while the physical property measurements, theoretical studies and device applications will be led by the PI at Oakland University.
The efforts will bring together a multidisciplinary team of investigators that will make significant contributions to scientific knowledge, education outreach and infrastructure, and potentially lead to a host of next-generation devices for the national defense and consumer electronics. The program will provide support for graduate and undergraduate students, including underrepresented minorities, and contribute to their broad interdisciplinary training. Project personnel will collaborate with local schools to facilitate participation by high school students in research. |
Automotive Antenna Measurement Instrumentation This project creates a near-field antenna measurement system, for use in research and education on automobile antennas. The system will be a spherical near-field antenna measurement system capable of measuring on-vehicle antenna performance in the frequency range 800 MHz to 6 GHz for a variety of vehicle platforms. Major components include: (1) positioning and control equipment, which controls the motion of the vehicle platform; (2) signal source and receiver component, which generates the radio frequency test signal and measures the coupling between the desired source antenna and the antenna under test; and (3) the data collection and processing component. The research will involve vehicle-level measurement techniques, development of mathematical models for on-vehicle antennas and vehicle-integrated antenna designs. This equipment allows Oakland to contribute to the growing field of automotive telematics, which has relevance to safety (e.g. broadcasting location and occurrence of events like collisions and airbag deployment), to security operations (e.g. track or disable stolen vehicles), and to convenience (e.g., concierge services, navigation assistance, etc.). Industrial collaborations and support will be major aspects of this project. The equipment will also be used heavily in undergraduate education, in student training, and in outreach to minorities in the Pontiac, Michigan and Detroit, Michigan public schools. |
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