Radio technology centre is making waves in Sheffield

The Advanced Radio Technology Centre (ARTC) founded by Mr Eddie Ball, Reader in Wireless Communications, aims to offer various levels of support, research and product development assistance or consultancy to companies who may not have the physical or financial resources to develop, and benefit from, this technology by themselves.

Mr Ball who has 20 years of direct industry experience, commented: “Speaking with numerous large and small business owners over the last year, the need for a University-based centre like this is definitely there. For some time, radio has been much more than a narrow set of engineering disciplines – it encompasses fields such as RF circuit design, digital signal processing and novel system design for end-user applications. But there is also a pressing need for true blue-sky research.”

The ARTC aims to assist industry partners with a desire to innovate: such as helping them understand and use the plethora of Internet of Things (IoT) radio systems, any aspect of conventional RF design, or design of radio frequency integrated circuits.

Ball added that if it involves creating radio technology or applying it to an industrial problem, it fits within the ARTC’s remit.

The ARTC has three main themes of research: Novel RF Circuit Design, Novel RF Systems and Novel Applications of Radio. The initial research thrust of the Centre explores millimetre wave IC design: a wavelength not traditionally used for mobile communications, but becoming of relevance in 5G technologies; indoor/outdoor positioning systems; and robust future IoT radio technologies.

Ball said: “The Centre will be a hub for solving the problems industry brings to us and will push the boundaries of RF engineering design and application, developing new solutions and technology to address these real-world problems.”