Smart Connected Futures

Materials science and engineering plays a major role in modern communication and electromagnetic applications, and they always have! With the push for more efficient and sustainable microwave and radio frequency devices, including antennas, that are capable of being adaptive and operationally flexible to the environment and dynamic requirements of today’s communication systems, the need for novel materials and new design techniques is at its peak.

The Antennas & Electromagnetics Research Group within the Centre for Electronics in Queen Mary is leading research activities and development focusing on the role of smart materials and interfaces in next-generation wireless and EM systems and how the likes of liquid metal can provide a low-loss solution for reconfigurable microwave devices and steerable antennas. We are developing novel additive manufacturing techniques paving the way for new concepts in validation and prototyping, supported by tuneable interfaces and the exciting new direction of materials discovery for electromagnetic applications fuelled by data science and machine learning. Our aim is the realisation of the true smart connected future that will tackle generation-after-next technologies and innovation.

We work with leading telecommunications industry players, equipment providers, manufacturing powerhouses and many other stakeholders including government and regulators to influence policymaking and shape the future of connected living in the future.

What we are showing at the event: We demonstrate actual 3D-printed antenna arrays and complex EM materials used in creating adaptive and reconfigurable devices. We will create a jigsaw-like demo where participants help us to create an antenna array including liquid metal with a chosen beam direction and use that for quick range measurement.

Textile-based metasurfaces

Collaborate with us:

For more information or to become an affiliate please refer to the Centre for Electronics and the antennas group. Read more about our Electromagnetic Environment Hub, Electromagnetic material designand wireless power transmission.
Contact: Prof Akram Alomainy, Prof Yang Hao, Dr Henry Giddens