Waveform Diversity Experimentation System (WaDES)
Abstract
Waveform Diversity Experimentation System (WaDES)University of KansasShannon D. Blunt (PI), Christopher Allen (Co-I), James Stiles, (Co-I) The growing demand for spectrum combined with requirements for enhanced sensitivity, robust electronic protection, higher fidelity, and lower implementation cost has driven significant innovation in advanced waveform design and multi-function capabilities. However, this innovation process requires experimental feedback to differentiate between useful and unrealistic assumptions. Experimentation is also needed to meaningfully realize increasingly complex multi-dimensional signal attributes where modulation may be jointly performed in the fast-time (waveform/range), slow-time (Doppler), spatial (azimuth and elevation), polarization, and frequency domains. Indeed, the very prospect of electromagnetic maneuverability is conditioned on the freedom to manipulate these dimensions in a coordinated manner. Moreover, when these dimensions are jointly manipulated the degrees-of-freedom increase multiplicatively relative to their use individually. This proposal requests funding to support the WaDES testbed for the purpose of experimental investigation into new multi-dimensional / multi-function sensing approaches. This testbed will support a variety of emerging radar modes that rely on multiple-input multipleoutput (MIMO) transmit and receive configurations to incorporate spatial degrees of freedom into other forms of waveform diversity. Such new modes include spatial modulation, wideband MIMO for imaging, joint MIMO / waveform agility, radar-embedded communications, joint polarization and spatial modulation, and numerous others. These new modes leverage recent work on the design of physically realizable waveform-diverse radar emissions, much of which has been performed and experimentally demonstrated at the University of Kansas (KU). The proposed testbed is crucial to expand this experimental capability into the spatial realm. All of these topics involve ongoing research undertaken by KU graduate students under current and continuing DoD-funded projects. The testbed will consist of 16 transmit channels with independent arbitrary waveform generation capability, 16 independent receive digitization channels, a dedicated real-time spectrum analyzer, and associated antennas, frequency up/down converters, stable local oscillators, cabling, connectors, power supplies, etc. As such, different antenna configurations (including single and dual polarized) can be considered, along with bistatic / multistatic arrangements and a variety of different radar-embedded communication schemes.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 20, 2019
- Source ID
- N000141912666
Entities
People
- Shannon D. Blunt
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- University of Kansas