Communications Research Group
Welcome to the homepage of the Communications Research Group (CRG) at the University of York, and to one of the UK's leading academic research units specialising in communication engineering. CRG is made up of over 50 staff and postgraduate research students and has an international reputation in wireless communications.
CRG’s research strength lies in its capability to deal with several important layers of the protocol stack, from MIMO and signal processing techniques, resource and spectrum assignment, wireless ad hoc routing, through to system level design. It has specific expertise in unconventional or difficult communications environments, including satellites, HAPs, underwater communications, and in ad hoc and heterogeneous networks. Our research is currently organised into six activity areas: Advanced Codes and Turbo Techniques, Cognitive and Green Communications, High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) and Satellites, Wireless Sensor Networks, MIMO and Spread Spectrum Systems, and Signal Processing.We also offer a range of short courses in communications technology, and provide support the MSc in Communications Engineering.
If you are interested in a research degree, please explore our web-site, and the list of current research degree projects. If you are interested in working with us, please contact the leader of our research group David Grace.
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Advanced Codes and Turbo TechniquesAdvanced coding techniques such as Turbo Codes have been shown to reach the ultimate limits of the capacity of wireless channels. Decoding requires iterative or "turbo" methods. We research into efficient implementations, and joint equalisation/synchronisation and decoding schemes. We also consider implementations of coding schemes, e.g. for new fourth generation wireless systems. |
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Cognitive and Green CommunicationsCognitive communications (including cognitive radio and cognitive networks) is a rapidly growing area of research. A key aim is to maximize the utility of the radio spectrum through distributed artificial intelligence, and efficient physical layer implementations. We are currently applying cognitive techniques to ‘green’ radio, routing, multicast, and smart environments. |
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High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) and SatellitesHAPs are vehicles in the stratosphere such as airships or planes. They can deliver the best features of both satellite and terrestrial systems, and represent a flexible solution to many communications challenges including extremely high spectral efficiency and rapid deployment, e.g. for disaster relief. We provide consultancy services about satellite and HAP systems, research into system design issues, and have built trial payloads that have been flown in airborne trials. |
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Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs)WSNs are rapidly emerging as a technology for large-scale unattended monitoring of environmental conditions in remote and inaccessible locations. Battery life is a primary limitation, since devices will often be required to operate for long periods of time without intervention. We design and evaluate energy-efficient network protocols for sensor nodes. |
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MIMO and Spread Spectrum SystemsWe investigate innovative techniques to improve the capacity of spread spectrum schemes, including code-division multiple access, ultra-wideband and orthogonal frequency division multiplexing schemes. We design algorithms that exhibit attractive trade-offs between performance and cost. |
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Signal ProcessingOur research covers theory to implementation for: detection and estimation, multiuser and MIMO schemes, interference suppression, beamforming and array signal processing, adaptive filtering, speech processing, acousticecho cancellation, underwater acoustics, and implementation of algorithms on DSP and FPGA platforms. |