CSR:Small: High Data Density Short Range Wireless Telemetry for Next Generation IoT Applications

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Abstract

High Data Density Short Range Wireless Telemetry for Next Generation Internet-of-Things (IoT) Applications (SWiT-IoT) The long-term goal of this SWiT-IoT project is to establish a transformative and multidisciplinary research and innovation on high data-density short-range wireless telemetry and energy-efficient computational platform integrated with custom analog radio-frequency (analog-RF) circuit and system architectures for Internet-of-Things (IoT) applications. Proliferation of wireless sensors and sensor network has enabled widespread deployment of multi-sensors for IoT applications. With the increase of wireless sensors, the cumulative data volume from a large group of sensors is creating bottleneck for real-time data processing and data transmission through a limited wireless spectrum. To alleviate these problems, the SWiT-IoT research project is going to investigate a two-phase approach. On the first phase, the project will investigate a local processing or computational unit for in-situ low-level signal processing, data reduction, and enable high volume of data communication within the specified bandwidth. On the second phase, the project will investigate a novel pulse encoding scheme using orthogonal pulses to compress the data volume further. This two-fold data reduction (local processing and pulse encoding) enables high data-rate support within the specified bandwidth. The compressed data stream will then be fed to an injection-locked power oscillator to drive the antenna for wireless transmission. The proposed transformative large volume wireless data acquisition scheme will influence various sensor related applications and decision-making processes, such as transportation, public health, cortical mapping, smart homes, etc. The education goal is to integrate the artistic skills of underrepresented K-12 students to motivate, engage and help learning STEM materials through a fun loving environment and get them prepared for future STEM careers. The project will continue training undergraduate and graduate students, conduct summer camps, and promote outreach programs through "It's Electric", "C3-STEM" and UAB CORD program, to increase the number of underrepresented and minorities towards higher education. In pursue of the research objectives in the SWiT-IoT project, mainly three research goals are targeted: (i) Energy-Efficient Local Processing for Data Reduction, (ii) An energy-efficient analog-RF chip level implementation of multi-order orthogonal pulse generator, and (iii) Spectral efficient orthogonal pulse based analog pulse-sequence encoding. First, a local processing unit will be investigated by employing oscillatory neural network (ONN) and improved spike detector algorithms. By utilizing ultra-low-power self-oscillating nodes, the ONN will perform class-associative pattern recognition task by synchrony or desynchrony among the nodes, and only relay the values of the recognition indicators frequency of synchronization and convergence time, instead of the raw data. A modified nonlinear energy operator based energy-efficient spike detector algorithm will be investigated for detecting signal events e.g. impact loading, action potentials, abrupt changes, etc. and relay the event stamp to reduce the data volume. Second, the SWiT-IoT project will investigate a Modified Hermite Polynomial based multi-order orthogonal pulse generation scheme. An innovative neuro-inspired architecture will be utilized with reduced system complexity, better energy-efficiency, and integrated circuit level implementation with smaller form factor. Third, a novel combinatorial pulse-sequence encoding will allow simultaneous multichannel wireless telemetry with superb spectrum-efficient data density and data security. In this scheme, n distinct multi-order orthogonal pulses will be used to create pulse-sequence for each channel. The use of (n-1) redundant orthogonal pulses for each channel will enable supporting a large number (= n!) of channels and (n-1)!-times of data rate improvement. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.