Keynote Address: UWB Tansceivers & Wearable Electronics

Summary form only given, as follows. The complete presentation was not made available for publication as part of the conference proceedings. Future communication links will require higher data rates, multiple beams, and higher transmit/receive gains, in addition to smaller weight, cost, and power. With the growing interest for reduced size platforms and the requirement for ultra-wideband (UWB) performance to address multi-functionality, there is a strong need for UWB RF front ends with ultra-flexible interfaces. The latter will include millimeter wave and THz capabilities to enable increased spectral efficiency, multi-functionality and security. Simultaneous transmit and receive (STAR) transceivers are also becoming a focus for the coming decade. Further, in recent years, a variety of flexible fabric-based electronics have been proposed. To this end, our team proposed a new class of conductive textiles that have demonstrated unique capabilities in terms of flexibility, durability and manufacturing-ease using standard automated embroidery machinery. These electronic threads (E-threads) have the capability to generate fully embroidered microwave circuitry that has the same electrical properties as traditional microwave circuits printed on PCBs. As such, a new class of wearable devices that are fully integrated and inconspicuously placed within clothing is possible. This presentation will focus on innovative methods for handling UWB communications with RF front end and back-end capabilities having historically low power and game-changing frequency-independent operation. They will include low power MIMO and beamforming across large bandwidths, from MHz to millimeter wave bands. Challenges in realizing future textile-based electronic devices, including wearable wideband transceivers will be presented. Among them, reliable wearable interconnects, chipsets that are less bulky and integrated with the textile circuitry, and manufacturing challenges will be discussed.