Proposal #: ECS-9626599 PI Name/Institution: Jennifer T. Bernhard/ University of New Hampshire The referenced female PI in her first year as faculty at University of New Hampshire has requested Research Planning Grant Funds to initiate a program to simulate and measure the local electromagnetic environments of portable wireless communication units, emphasizing the user and the unit's chassis as part of the electromagnetic subsystem. Several aspects of the proposed research h are novel and important. The topical area of wireless communications is rapidly growing in importance. Research within this field is currently spotty. Higher volume data and video transmission problems are expected in the near future. The proposed research will explore one of the most important missing sub-fields, the reverse link (the user & the receiving unit electrical sub-system). The reverse link is almost always the weaker than the forward link, hence it is the limiting factor in performance. However very little research has been done on electromagnetics configurations other that the base station (the forward link). At the same time, the reverse link is where the heaviest FCC regulation may be expected to fall since this is the electromagnetic environment which directly affects the user. This Research Planning Grant proposal is clearly and carefully designed as preliminary study to provide important support for a full proposal. It includes both finite difference time domain simulation and radiation pattern measurement with electromagnetically simulated "human" absorbers as well as the receiver systems. Questions of antenna placement will be explored tin the context of a new in-chassis design which could take advantage of new dialectic materials. Special emphasis will be placed on developing connections with industry and obtaining real equipment for test during this RPG grant. The PI has established expertise in working with electromagnetically simulated "human" absorbers during highly re levant post-doctoral research at Duke University. The PI's energetic liaisons with wireless communications industry partners can be exepcted to add very much to the proposed effort. I strongly recommend funding at the proposed amount of $18,000.00.
