A new $15 million facility at the University of Waterloo, Canada is expected to contribute significantly to the development of next-generation wireless technology.
Featuring four interconnected indoor laboratories, one outdoor lab and an advanced computational facility, the new 5,000 sq. ft. Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems (CIARS) is said to offer the highest precision over the widest range of frequency in any academic facility in the world.
“This amazing new facility integrates all stages in fundamental research in radio science and technology under one roof,” Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo, said.
In particular, researchers hope the new facility will help them learn more about terahertz, the section of electromagnetic spectrum between radar and fiber optics that is still the subject of much scrutiny.
“Sitting between radio frequency and light-wave, terahertz is the most exciting and least explored portion of electromagnetic spectrum, open to unlimited possibilities,” Safieddin Safavi-Naeini of Waterloo’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and CIARS director, said. “We have only just started to understand and to explore terahertz in the last decade. Even though we’re just launching our new facility, word has spread and we already have considerable interest from global academic and industry circles.”
Though the facility is set up for use at the University of Waterloo, researchers will reportedly be able to make use of it remotely.
“The University of Waterloo is very pleased to be the home of the Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems’ new facilities, the first of [its] kind in Canada, and amongst the most advanced in the world,” Pearl Sullivan, dean of engineering, said.
Funding assistance was provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Research Fund, industry partners and others.
