The mission of the "Broadband Wireless & Sensor Networks" (B-WiSE) group is to contribute to the "Optimally Connected Anywhere, Anytime" vision by directing its research and educational activities towards the study and system level evaluation of Secure Broadband Wireless Communications Systems and Networks. The focal point of research is the area defined as Short-Range Wireless Communications and Sensor Networks.

The vision of "Optimally Connected Anywhere, Anytime" has energized the global telecommunications, information technology and semiconductor industries. The realization of that vision though hinges upon the integration of an unprecedented number of heterogeneous wireless access technologies to support in a synergistic way different service requirements and radio environments. They may include the personal level (Personal/ Body Area/Ad Hoc Network), the local/home level (WLAN, Ultra Wide band/UWB), the cellular level (GPRS, UMTS) and the wider area level (DxB-T, BWA).

The objectives of the B-WiSE group are:

• The establishment of a leading edge technological activity for short-range wireless communications systems and networks (e.g., Multi-carrier modulation schemes, Ultra-Wideband systems, Ad-hoc networks, Personal- and Body-Area Networks PANs/BANs)
• With an overall goal of transferring key, innovative technology to industrial partners to enable the development of novel applications and products.

The involved research team consists of professors and senior researchers with many years of industrial experience in the development of high performance ICs for communication systems and networks and a solid research background in a diverse number of fields ranging from multimedia signal processing to information theory and statistical communications.

Current topics of interest include:

• Study and performance evaluation of wireless ad-hoc networks with the emphasis on security. Achievable capacity, range gains and achievable power savings.
• Study and performance evaluation of wireless networks using smart nodes architectures (smart antenna systems, cross-layer optimization techniques, implementation aspects, network organization).
• Ultra-Wideband Systems (UWB) & Applications.
• Study and evaluation of 4G access networks and novel broadband radio interfaces next-generation broadband radio interfaces (e.g. Multi-carrier modulation schemes such as OFDMA, Space-Time coding).
• Study of co-existence, quality-of-service and interoperability issues in the presence of multiple heterogeneous networks (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, HiperLan/2, Ultra-Wideband).
• Secure delivery of multimedia data and services across heterogeneous wired and wireless networks to the home and automobile.
• Study and performance evaluation of wireless Personal/Body Area networks.

The following applications are targeted:

• Mobile ad-hoc networks
• Broadband wireless LAN, PAN & BAN
• Interoperable, Scalable, Secure, Mobile Communications
• Self-organizing networks of smart sensors
• Smart antenna systems for mobile applications
• Home networking.

Due to the multidisciplinary nature of its work, B-WiSE fosters close collaboration with several groups, institutions and research centers both nationwide and worldwide. The main partnership of Broadband Wireless and Sensor Networks group is with the Center for Wireless and Broadband Networking of Carnegie Mellon. Additionally, the B-WiSe group maintains close ties with a large network of Academic Institutions, Corporate R&D Labs and Industrial affiliates, and participates in relevant fora (e.g. WWRF). In collaboration with its industrial partners, the B-WiSE group currently participates in several EU funded projects.