CURRENT PROJECTS
Underwater Acoustic Communication
In this project, modern processing techniques are investigated to enable underwater wireless transmission. Coherent receiver architectures are approached to setup a reliable point-to-point link. To improve the reliability,the distortion due to the extreme channel impairments must be carefully compensated. Moreover, to send high througput information such as multimedia, the transmitter and receiver are both equipped with hydrophone and projector arrays. These algorithms are currently being tested using a hydrophone array supplied by Turbulent Research in the aquatron.
Digital signal processing for acoustic sensing and transmission requires intensive computation. In this project, custom platforms equipped with array of sensors rely on multicore processing to reduce processing time, and maintain real-time operation constrained on efficient power consumption. The firmware is programmed using low-level HDLto accurately represent gate-level operation. The computer architecture is preliminarily verified on FPGA. The design flow leads to the fabrication on a fully-integrated CMOS die.
The analog front-end of a communication device converts the digital information and acts as an interface to the propagation channel. Industry level mixed-signal and RF design techniques are developed to implement key circuits on integrated platforms. CMOS technology is the preferred platform to implement fully integrated transceivers that include also the digital core. We are also pursuing the design of high-power transmit front-ends on GaN technology. Fabrication is submitted through CMC Microsystems.
In partnership with Ensta-Bretagne naval architecture school of engineering, a fully autonomous sailboat is being develop to cross the Atlantic Ocean. This boat will also serve the purpose of monitoring remote areas, and rely on an ultra low-power electronic design. In our first trial, Breizh Tigresse travelled a record distance and for a record duratio leaving Halifax towards France. See MicroTransat.org for more details.
