Director of the Advanced Wireless Systems Research (ADWISR) Center Dr. Patanjali Parimi and his team have received a grant from State University of New York and the Research Foundation for SUNY for their work on a next generation piece of wireless technology.

For the past six months, Parimi and his team in the ADWISR Center have been working to develop a new method of wireless data transfer that would improve both the speed and security of wireless data travel. “We are trying to develop a technique which would transfer high data rates compared to existing communication devices,” Parimi said.

This can be achieved by using a technique called orbital angular momentum modulation, according to Parimi. “This is a new type of modulation we induce onto the wireless beams so that they can carry higher [amounts of] data,” Parimi said. This technology can potentially be used for the next generation of wireless data communication. Known as 5G, the move to this standard is expected by the year 2020.

According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the 5G network generation is expected to provide enhanced performance and capabilities. 5G is also expected to be able to handle the growing demands of the Internet of Things.

A term for the range of connected devices and appliances used today that do not easily fit the description of a computer or mobile device. In his research, Parimi noted the development of this technology would allow for greater flexibility in the medical field. “Because of the Internet of Things, the paradigm in medicine is changing. Doctors want to treat the patient remotely,” Parimi said.

The technology also allows for more secure connections between devices, which means wireless connections will become safer for the transfer of private data. The connections would also work with any device made to support them when connecting to the internet. “Any device that could be connected to the internet is where this technology could be used,” Parimi said.

These potential commercial applications are what drew the attention and support of the Technology Accelerator Fund from SUNY and the Research Foundation for SUNY. “The Technology Accelerator Fund helps faculty inventors and scientists turn their research into market-ready technologies,” according to the Research Foundation webpage.

The fund which provides support for the development of a commercially-viable device can provide up to $50,000 to this project specifically provided the research makes certain milestones. “With the Technology Accelerator Fund grant, we will be developing hardware, a demonstrative unit,” Parimi said. Though Parimi has worked with undergraduate and graduate students, he says that there are certain difficulties associated with not having doctoral students on campus.

“We don’t have PhD students on campus, and to do this research work over a long period of time we need people in the lab working for one to two years,” Parimi said. During the summer, undergraduate students can work for two to three months, but then have to leave to return to regular student life.

To get access to PhD-level students, Parimi made use of an exchange program. “We had a PhD-level student, who came here on a global exchange program,” Parimi said.

Parimi and the ADWISR center have had corporate interest in the technology research. Two Syracuse-based companies, SRC. Inc and JMA Wireless submitted letters expressing an interest in potentially co-developing the technology alongside the Oswego State team.