Smart Antenna Study Uses Ansys Simulation Software

Ansys has revealed that its technology is being utilised in a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded project to develop 'smart' antenna systems. Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, received nearly USD1.2m (GBP737,262) to develop a smart antenna and radio laboratory in part to investigate more reliable more reliable high-bandwidth wireless communications via Wi-Fi. The use of Ansys technology will enable the university to test antenna design performance virtually, reducing time and costs associated with expensive prototype build-and-test methods.

One of the Gonzaga research projects is aimed at overcoming the growing problem of wireless signal interference, as many users try to communicate simultaneously over the 2.4GHz band used for Wi-Fi. The smart technologies developed by the team - headed by Steven D Schennum, an electrical engineering professor - will enable antennas to focus on one user signal at a time. For example, for a Wi-Fi user working on a laptop with a weak or cross-polarised signal, a smart antenna system would utilise algorithms to optimise the signal to that individual laptop.

The NSF grant provides Gonzaga with funding for dedicated computers running Ansys software that simulates smart antenna circuits and electromagnetic fields in three-dimensional structures. Using engineering simulation, Schennum and his team will develop new multi-antenna techniques that improve both the efficiency and bandwidth of wireless communications. The use of Ansys software is said to be critical in bringing these intelligent technologies to market quickly and cost-effectively.

Schennum said: 'We are creating a state-of-the-art anechoic chamber for testing our physical antenna prototypes, but even the best antenna test chambers are limited in their size and shape, the performance of their absorptive materials, and the range of frequencies they can accommodate. 'By simulating electromagnetic field and currents in a virtual environment using Ansys software, we can test the performance of our antenna designs for any location, plane or geometry - and over a limitless range of frequencies - before moving to the prototype stage,' he added.

Engineering simulation also supports a higher level of innovation and greater flexibility during the design process, enabling researchers to run countless what-if scenarios. HFSS and DesignerRF from Ansys provide results at a system level - including fabricated metal parts, cables and other components - to capture the effect of individual changes on how the antenna system performs as a whole.

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