EAGER: Designing Programmable and Versatile Tags for Backscatter Networks

Suny At Stony Brook, Stony Brook NY

Investigators

Abstract

This project will develop an initial version of a Programmable and Versatile Backscattering Tag (PVBT) platform that will drive the research on backscatter-based systems of the future. The idea is to develop a modular, extensible and powerful hardware architecture for backscatter-based tags that is programmable at every layer. The PVBT hardware will be extensible in that the RF, analog and digital sections will be modular and exchangeable. In order to demonstrate the power of PVBT the PIs will build a small set of limited prototypes that will drive several core research directions. These will include (1) development and evaluation of protocols in the PHY/MAC layers providing higher speed and better interference management, (2) exploration of tag-to-tag communication and related networking protocols, (3) sensor networks utilizing backscatter communications. Use of the PVBT will help researchers and manufacturers adopt PVBT-based evaluation in their workflow to develop new designs faster and at a lower cost, thereby helping RFIDs make more inroads in the marketplace. On the educational front, the PIs will initiate development of an online course on backscatter-based systems. The PVBT will also act as a platform for (i) summer projects of local high school students via several programs at SBU, (ii) research and inquiry-based courses in the WISE (Women In Science & Engineering) Program at SBU, (iii) senior projects of engineering undergraduates, and (iv) course/thesis projects for graduate students at SBU.