Brave New World Of Wireless Super Gadgets To Be Revealed At IADAT Conference

The technology is Software Defined Radio (SDR). It promises to deliver wireless gadgets capable of doing everything from watching high-definition television to opening your garage door.

This means an SDR-enabled mobile phone could work across any country in the world. The same phone could also be used to watch high-definition, satellite or digital television, surf the internet, listen to radio, send faxes as well as act as a Global Positioning System (GPS) device.

Dr David Ndzi from the University of Portsmouth’s Department of Electronic and Computer Engineering said SDR technology would break down barriers in wireless communications technologies.

‘SDR is what one could call a Tower of Babel-type technology in that wireless devices that previously understood only one or a few languages, or standards, will suddenly be able to talk to each other freely regardless of frequency or conflicting protocols,’ Dr Ndzi said.

SDR technology works by using software-based controls that allow wireless devices to receive or transmit radio data on any frequency.

This is done via an analogue-to-digital converter that changes the signal into a digital format that can be understood and manipulated by software written into the wireless device.

Dr Ndzi said space company EADS Astrium are world leaders in space applications, including scientific exploration, civil and military Earth observation and communications, ground systems and navigation constellations.

‘We are delighted to have a leading, cutting-edge technology company such as EADS Astrium talk to us about SDR as this is a technology that will change how we communicate on every level,’ Dr Ndzi said.

Keith Bannister, Robert Gask and Francis Kinsella will deliver the company’s extended presentation at the 3rd IADAT International Conference on Telecommunications and Computer Networks at the University of Portsmouth next week, September 27-29.

The conference will also be attended by delegates from several countries who will present their latest research findings in the areas of telecommunication and computer networks.

Key industry players Xyratex (data storage and network technology) and The MathWorks (developers of MATLAB) will also run workshops.