In recent years, we have seen a strong growth in the usage of Smartphone and ultraportable devices. Smartphone/tablet is unarguably becoming the personal and business computing and communications platform and its shares with the conventional personal computer market and the data network capacity are steadily increasing. There is a tremendous demand for data sharing and short range communications using Smartphone platforms as it offers the great convenience for consumers in today’s society. This project named as the Smartphone-based visible light communications will investigate the potential of short range visible light communications (VLC) using the mobile phone platform. Using this proposed technology, data can be visually but securely exchanged among devices and legacy terminals, by employing the Smartphone light source, with very little opportunity for eavesdropping unlike Bluetooth communications. In addition the licence free spectrum and interference free property make VLC a very attractive technology for a number of applications including wireless home and office access networks, and outdoor traffic communications. However very little work has been reported on VLC for mobile device platforms where millions of mobile phones can adopt the technology.
The proposed project is one of its first kinds for combining visual communications with Smartphones. The key challenges in the Smartphones VLC technology are to securely deliver data at high bit rates whilst maintaining high mobility. The PhD student is expected to carry out theoretical investigation, system modelling, and practical implementation of the proposed research. There will be an opportunity for carrying out extensive work in field trials to evaluate the product, both technically and commercially. Candidates with a strong background in telecommunications and programming are desirable.
The project will equally create the opportunity to generate intellectual property and secure funding from the industry. Findings from this research work could potentially support the future standard for Smartphone visual communications.
Enquiries regarding this studentship should be made to Dr Hoa Le Minh, tel: +44 (0) 191 227 3901, email: hoa.le-minh@northumbria.ac.uk
Applicants should hold a first or upper second class honours degree (in a relevant subject) from a British higher education institution, or equivalent. Students who are not UK/EU residents are eligible to apply, provided they hold the relevant academic qualifications, together with an IELTS score of at least 6.5.
You should apply using the University’s Research Application Form, available via the link on this page. Applications should be submitted to:
Karen Vacher
Senior Administrator, Research,
School of Computing, Engineering and Information Sciences
Northumbria University
Email: iz.research-admin@northumbria.ac.uk
Tel: 0191 227 3244
Funding Notes:
The studentship includes a full stipend, paid for three years at RCUK rates (figure for 2012/13 is 13,590 pa) and home fees.
References:
"Resilient Optical Network Design: Advances in Fault-Tolerant Methodologists", (chapter: "All-Optical Resilient Pulse-Position-Modulation-Based Packet-Switched Routing"), in print, 2011
"Short-Range Wireless Communications - Emerging Technologies and Applications", (chapter 25), Kraemer, R., and Katz., M. D., Wireless World Research Forum, ISBN 978-0-470-69995-9, Wiley, 2009
J. Perez, Z. Ghassemlooy, S. Rajbhandari, M. Ijaz, H. Le Minh, "Ethernet FSO Communications Link Performance Study Under a Controlled Fog Environment", IEEE Communications Letter, Issue 99, pp.1-3, 2012
H. Le Minh, D. O'Brien, G. Faulkner, "A gigabit/s indoor optical wireless system for Home Access Networks", Journal of IET Communications, in print, 2011
H. Le Minh, D. O'Brien, G. Faulkner, O. Bouchet, M. Wolf, L. Grobe, L. Jianhui, "A 1.25-Gb/s Indoor Cellular Optical Wireless Communications Demonstrator", IEEE Photonics Technology Letters, ISSN: 1041-1135, vol. 22, no. 21, pp. 1598 - 1600, Oct. 2010
L. Zeng, D. C. O'Brien, H. Le-Minh, G. Faulkner, K. Lee, D. Jung and Y. Oh, "High Data Rate Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Optical Wireless Communication Using White LED Lighting", IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications - Optical Wireless Communications, vol. 27, pp. 1654-1662, Dec 2009