The wireless communications resolution is changing the way people work around the world. The next generation wireless communication systems will require larger bandwidths and higher operating frequencies, to support the higher data rates required by multimedia and interactive applications, such as teleconferencing, and video transmission. This higher bandwidth requirement, and the need to shift to higher operating frequencies in the microwave and millimeter-wave range make it necessary to research new types of broadband antennas and arrays, and broadband, power efficient circuits and systems. Also, to further improve on the system performance of wireless systems, additional research in smart, adaptive antenna arrays is necessary. Furthermore, there have been an increased interest in the remote sensing of the earth, to monitor and better understand different phenomena, such as E1 Nino Effect, tropical rainfall, and hurricanes, among others. Micro-wave and millimeter-wave radars and radiometers are used for this purpose. At the same time, this interest in the remote sensing of the earth and the wireless revolution has produced a large demand for engineers and scientists with knowledge in r.f., microwave, and millimeter-wave electronics.
The main goal of this project is to develop a unique, state of the art research facility in Puerto Rico. This facility will be the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez (UPRM) Radiation Laboratory. The mission of the Radiation Laboratory is to perform research and development on microwave and millimeter-wave antennas, circuits and systems, for applications in wireless communications and remote sensing. Such a facility does not exist in Puerto Rico and its vicinity at this moment. This acquisition of microwave and millimeter-wave instrumentation will not only support research and development activities at UPRM, but also will provide the National Astronomy and Ionospheric Center (NAIC) at Arecibo, Puerto Rico, with microwave subassembly and antenna testing facilities at less than 1.5 hours driving distance. In addition, the proposed acquisition will help strengthen collaborative research initiatives with the University of Massachusetts, the Pennsylvania State University and BBN Technologies. ***
