Project Overviews

This wiki describes a number of projects that the DTG is or has been involved in. By way of a brief summary:

• Computing for the Future of the Planet - Digital technology is becoming an indispensable and crucial component of our lives, society, and the environment. Computing for the Future of the Planet is a framework for computing in the context of problems facing the planet. The framework has a number of goals: an optimal digital infrastructure, sensing and optimising with a global world model, reliably predicting and reacting to our environment, and digital alternatives to physical activities.

•  Wireless Communications - The research undertaken by the Wireless Communications Team encompasses broadband Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) systems, 3G and 4G systems, and wireless local area networks (wLANs). Research includes electromagnetics modelling and measurements, multi-carrier modulation, space-time coding and spatial multiplexing in MIMO, reduced complexity detection of MIMO, interference cancellation, heterogeneous networking, ad hoc networking and software-defined radio. This research is led by Dr. Ian Wassell.

• The Bat System - The Bat system is a high-accuracy 3D positioning system based on a combination of ultrasound and radio. It was jointly developed by the DTG (then LCE) and AT&T Research Cambridge and runs to this day across the DTG floorspace, where novel uses and operational changes are being investigated.

• Broadband Phones - Broadband phones integrate VoIP, telephony, and a PDA-style interface. They are deployed one-per-desk in the DTG running on our new thin-client software architecture.

• Cantag - Cantag is an open source computer vision software library that accurately recovers position and pose of printed 2D markers. It boasts custom tag types, shapes and coding schemes, fast frame rates, and reliable operation. Uses are in positioning, augmented reality and sentient computing.

• Sentient Computing - The Sentient Computing project seeks to combine sensors and computers to monitor resources, maintain a computational model of the world, and act appropriately. Relevant research 'umbrellas' include Ubiquitous Computing, Context-Aware Computing, Pervasive Computing, Location-Aware Computing, amongst others.

• Sentient Van - The sentient van project is a fledgling project. The DTG has obtained a vehicle which is being kitted out with computing machinery and a variety of sensors.

• Sentient Sports - The Sentient Sports platform is looking at the use of sensors in high level sports coaching.

• NLMaP - Non Linear Modelling and Positioning. A GPL software library that performs non-linear regression with an emphasis on positioning. The software is C++ based and features classes specifically for positioning using a number of methods.

•  Embedded WiSeNts - Because of growing system complexity, isolated embedded systems can no longer perform interaction with the environment efficiently. This complexity calls for an improved cooperation among individual entities. This project intends to shed light on the most challenging research issues in the vision of 'cooperating objects' which arises from the convergence of system concepts in traditional embedded systems, wireless sensor/actuator networks and ubiquitous computing.

Older Projects

• High Performance Networking - This project was concerned with software support for high performance networks and servers. We are using a prototype gigabit-class user-level network from the CLAN project at  AT&T Laboratories-Cambridge.

• Networked Surfaces - A Networked Surface is a physical surface (e.g. a desk), which provides networking or power to "objects" placed on top of it. This new type of network combines characteristics found in both "wired" and "wireless" networks, such as the dedicated data connections possible in wired networks, and the mobility inherent in wireless systems

• BluetoothSurvey - Indoor Bluetooth propagation survey using the Active Bat System.