News

In a groundbreaking development, Dr Rupesh Kumar, a Professor in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, has been awarded a significant project titled “Mapping the Canopy of the Amazon Forest Using an Aerial Drone Platform Coupled with Radar Sensors.” The initiative, funded by the International Peruvian National Research Institute, boasts an impressive outlay of Rs. 1.11 Crores and is set to span over a two-year period.

The project is spearheaded by Principal Investigator Dr Mark Donny Clemente Arenas, an Associate Professor at the National Technological University of South Lima in Peru. This collaboration aims to enhance the understanding of the Amazon’s intricate canopy structure and promote conservation efforts through innovative technology.

In recognition of this notable achievement, SRM University-AP proudly congratulated Dr Kumar and highlighted the significant impact this project could have on environmental research and sustainability. The university’s support underscores its commitment to fostering research initiatives that address global challenges, encouraging faculty members to pursue innovative solutions through collaboration and the application of cutting-edge technology.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in international research collaboration, leveraging technology to address critical environmental challenges in one of the world’s most vital ecosystems.

A Brief Description of the Project

This project facilitates the mapping of the Amazon forest in Peru. An integrated approach of advanced sensors such as LiDAR, Millimeter-Wave Radar, Camera, etc. and UAV will achieve this.
This will help assess the Amazon forest’s health in real time by leveraging the ML/AI approaches.

Figure 1: Scheme for height estimation

Explanation of the Research in Layperson’s Terms

The plant/tree generally reflects radio waves and other signals, and this reflection depends on the density of the forest. If a suitable signal processing is applied to the reflected signals, it will provide insight information about the forest profile. Nevertheless, this will help in the quantification of land covered by trees, identifying the location of those trees. Consequently, the tree canopy assessments help in determining the amount and location of impervious cover.

Funding Agency and Amount Sanctioned

National Scientific Research and Advanced Studies Program (PROCIENCIA) of the National Council for Science, Technology and Technological Innovation (CONCYTEC), Peru.

In Spanish: “ Programa Nacional de Investigación Cientifica y Estudios Avanzados (PROCIENCIA), del Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación
Tecnológica (CONCYTEC), Perú”.

Practical Implementation of the Research or the Social Implications Associated with it

The proposed research work help will help in the assessment of deforestation as well as its impact on climate change and global warming. Not only this, but the research will also contribute to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050!

Collaborations

Universidad Nacional Tecnológica de Lima Sur
Collaborator: Prof. Mark Clement Arenas

Future Research Plans

In future, this work will be extended for infrastructure monitoring. With the boom in real estate, a continuous monitoring system is desired for proper maintenance.

Dr Anirban Ghosh, an esteemed Assistant Professor in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, has recently published a significant research paper titled “Channel Modeling and Characterization of Access, D2D, and Backhaul Links in a Corridor Environment at 300 GHz.” This paper has been featured in the prestigious Q1 Journal, IEEE Transactions on Antenna and Propagation, with an impressive impact factor of 4.6.
Dr Ghosh’s research delves into the intricate aspects of channel modelling and characterisation, focusing on access, device-to-device (D2D), and backhaul links within a corridor environment at a high frequency of 300 GHz. This study is poised to make substantial contributions to the field of wireless communication, particularly in enhancing the understanding and development of next-generation communication systems.
The publication in such a renowned journal underscores the quality and impact of Dr. Ghosh’s work, reflecting the cutting-edge research being conducted at SRM University – AP. The university community extends its heartfelt congratulations to Dr. Ghosh for this remarkable achievement and looks forward to his continued contributions to the field of electronics and communication engineering.

Abstract:

This paper presents comprehensive double-directional channel measurements at 300 GHz across various corridor scenarios, including Access, Device-to-Device (D2D), and Backhaul, using an in-house developed channel sounder. The measurements, validated by ray tracing simulations, reveal that while 300 GHz quasi-optical propagation in corridors can be modeled using ray optics, non-trivial propagation phenomena, such as quadruple-bounce reflections, also occur. To accurately model these mechanisms, a quasi-deterministic (QD) channel model combining deterministic and random components is proposed. The QD model results align well with observations, highlighting similar propagation mechanisms for Access and D2D scenarios, while Backhaul scenarios show Line-of-Sight (LoS) impacts from ceiling reflections. These findings are crucial for designing next-generation THz communication systems.

Explanation of Research in Layperson’s Terms

This research contributes to building the next generation of communication networks, which will significantly impact society by improving connectivity, supporting technological advancements, and promoting economic development, and bringing forth several futuristic applications.

Practical Implementation

The results align with the design of high-frequency ultra-high speed, low-latency, reliable communication envisioned for several futuristic applications using beyond 5G and 6G networks.

The measurement scenarios explored in the paper.

Collaborations

Prof. Minseok Kim
Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Course of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Niigata University, Japan.
e-mail: mskim@eng.niigata-u.ac.jp

Future Research Plans

The efforts would be extended to other communication scenarios for a similar study. Additionally, generating appropriate channel models, coverage design, link budget, etc for the explored and unexplored scenarios would also encompass an interesting study.

Link to the Article