Vacancies: Applied Electromagnetics Research, Dept of Electronics, Univ of York

We currently have a number of projects suitable for research students who wish to study for a PhD:

Antenna Design, Electromagnetic Compatibility, Interaction of Electromagnetic Fields with Biological Tissues, Evolutionary Optimisation Techniques

Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks for Aircraft - 2006 vacancy now filled

This project is a collaborative effort between the Universities of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and York. A research student will work at each University. At York the research student will: investigate the performance and operation of wireless communications systems within the unusual propagation environment of an aircraft fuselage; build and evaluate prototype wireless communication networks for use with novel sensors and actuators developed at the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester. The work will involve theoretical analysis, as well as fabrication and evaluation of experimental systems. The work is part of the FLAVIIR programme which is a collaborative effort including 10 Universities, and a number of aerospace companies. It looks at a broad range of technologies associated with the development of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Further information.
In collaboration with the Communications Research Group.
Contact: John Dawson.

UHF/Microwave Antenna Design

The work is supported by EPSRC and industrial consortium for two years in order to undertake research on the development of compact (around 100 mm) antennas that will receive Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) signals at frequencies of 170 MHz to 230 MHz and at L band as well as receiving and transmitting on frequencies around 2 GHz used for UMTS. The application is hand held data systems. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the feasibility of such an antenna system operating in a representative signal environment with multipath fading and significant noise levels. The work will make extensive use of numerical modelling techniques to simulate the target antenna designs. We also anticipate that evolutionary algorithms will be used to optimise the initial design for the application. Test antennas will be fabricated and assessed in our laboratories and those of our partners. Prior to the detailed antenna design work, an assessment of the operating environment will be undertaken to determine in detail the required antenna performance. This will involve not only the system performance but also the attainment of required safety criteria as the antenna is to be operated in close proximity to its user and may in fact be 'worn'.

Applicants with previous antenna design experience are welcome however this is a rare skill and applicants with a good background in electronics or physics and whose interest is stimulated by the description above are encouraged to apply.

Electromagnetic Modelling

Current applications of the electromagnetic modelling capability within the group lie within the areas of Electromagnetic Compatibility and Interaction of Electromagnetic Fields with Biological Tissues. There are opportunities available for researchers to participate in this activity. Of primary concern is the efficient performance and use of these techniques, including the Finite Difference Time Domain method, on modern computing platforms. When modelling a human body "phantom", it is desirable to truncate the modelling space so that only the region of interaction is considered. The consequence is that only part of a complete phantom is used. Additionally, the phantom is required to be modelled in a number of orientations in the vicinity of a number of different radio systems. We anticipate that these aspects and others will be considered in the research.

Applicants with previous electromagnetic modelling experience are welcome. However, as above, this is a rare skill and applicants with a good background in electronics or physics and whose interest is stimulated by the description above are encouraged to apply.

Evolutionary Optimisation Techniques

The areas discussed above and other applications within the research group, both electromagnetic and non-electromagentic based, often involve the need for optimisation of some design, system or process. Evolutionary optimisation techniques, particularly genetic algorithms and neural network enhanced genetic algorithms (NNEGA), have been developed and advanced within the group. The applications typically have complex target/"cost" functions that represent the performance that must be achieved. These must be defined with care and may be optimised themselves as part of the overall algorithm, using, for example, the NNEGA developed within the research group. In addition, the parameters necessary for specifying the structure or system to be modelled/measured are of varying types and precision and automated optimisation of this specification process is desirable. The work will focus on enhancing the ability of these algorithms to manipulate both complex paremeter types and complex cost functions.

Applicants with previous evolutionary optimisation experience are welcome. However, applicants with a good background in electronics, physics or mathematics and whose interest is stimulated by the description above are encouraged to apply.



			Applied Electromagnetics Research Vacancies
		We currently have a number of projects suitable for research students who wish to study for a PhD: Antenna Design, Electromagnetic Compatibility, Interaction of Electromagnetic Fields with Biological Tissues, Evolutionary Optimisation Techniques Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks for Aircraft - 2006 vacancy now filled This project is a collaborative effort between the Universities of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and York. A research student will work at each University. At York the research student will: investigate the performance and operation of wireless communications systems within the unusual propagation environment of an aircraft fuselage; build and evaluate prototype wireless communication networks for use with novel sensors and actuators developed at the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester. The work will involve theoretical analysis, as well as fabrication and evaluation of experimental systems. The work is part of the FLAVIIR programme which is a collaborative effort including 10 Universities, and a number of aerospace companies. It looks at a broad range of technologies associated with the development of unmanned aerial vehicles. Further information. In collaboration with the Communications Research Group. Contact: John Dawson. UHF/Microwave Antenna Design The work is supported by EPSRC and industrial consortium for two years in order to undertake research on the development of compact (around 100 mm) antennas that will receive Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) signals at frequencies of 170 MHz to 230 MHz and at L band as well as receiving and transmitting on frequencies around 2 GHz used for UMTS. The application is hand held data systems. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the feasibility of such an antenna system operating in a representative signal environment with multipath fading and significant noise levels. The work will make extensive use of numerical modelling techniques to simulate the target antenna designs. We also anticipate that evolutionary algorithms will be used to optimise the initial design for the application. Test antennas will be fabricated and assessed in our laboratories and those of our partners. Prior to the detailed antenna design work, an assessment of the operating environment will be undertaken to determine in detail the required antenna performance. This will involve not only the system performance but also the attainment of required safety criteria as the antenna is to be operated in close proximity to its user and may in fact be 'worn'. Applicants with previous antenna design experience are welcome however this is a rare skill and applicants with a good background in electronics or physics and whose interest is stimulated by the description above are encouraged to apply. Electromagnetic Modelling Current applications of the electromagnetic modelling capability within the group lie within the areas of Electromagnetic Compatibility and Interaction of Electromagnetic Fields with Biological Tissues. There are opportunities available for researchers to participate in this activity. Of primary concern is the efficient performance and use of these techniques, including the Finite Difference Time Domain method, on modern computing platforms. When modelling a human body "phantom", it is desirable to truncate the modelling space so that only the region of interaction is considered. The consequence is that only part of a complete phantom is used. Additionally, the phantom is required to be modelled in a number of orientations in the vicinity of a number of different radio systems. We anticipate that these aspects and others will be considered in the research. Applicants with previous electromagnetic modelling experience are welcome. However, as above, this is a rare skill and applicants with a good background in electronics or physics and whose interest is stimulated by the description above are encouraged to apply. Evolutionary Optimisation Techniques The areas discussed above and other applications within the research group, both electromagnetic and non-electromagentic based, often involve the need for optimisation of some design, system or process. Evolutionary optimisation techniques, particularly genetic algorithms and neural network enhanced genetic algorithms (NNEGA), have been developed and advanced within the group. The applications typically have complex target/"cost" functions that represent the performance that must be achieved. These must be defined with care and may be optimised themselves as part of the overall algorithm, using, for example, the NNEGA developed within the research group. In addition, the parameters necessary for specifying the structure or system to be modelled/measured are of varying types and precision and automated optimisation of this specification process is desirable. The work will focus on enhancing the ability of these algorithms to manipulate both complex paremeter types and complex cost functions. Applicants with previous evolutionary optimisation experience are welcome. However, applicants with a good background in electronics, physics or mathematics and whose interest is stimulated by the description above are encouraged to apply.