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DSP and Communications

The digital signal processing (DSP) and communications group is involved in a range of research projects at the leading edge of advanced signal processing algorithms and information-theoretic studies. Particular strengths lie in the areas of random matrix theory, cognitive radio, interference alignment and physical layer security in wireless networks, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, iterative (turbo) detection and decoding, co-operative (relay), sensor and ad hoc networks, MIMO radar, array signal processing, biomedical signal processing and non-linear and non-Gaussian signal processing.

Members of the team have been involved in numerous projects which have led to pioneering work in areas such as linear adaptive filtering, non-linear systems and higher order metrics, with key applications in communications systems. Broader application areas are also addressed through the team’s active involvement in the Sonic Arts Research Centre (SARC) in Belfast.

Research within the group is strongly underpinned by funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and European Commission (FP 7), which supports core research of a fundamental nature. More application specific areas of work have been supported by a range of industrial collaborators including Nortel Networks, QinetiQ, British Telecom and Hewlett Packard.

Current international collaborative projects include: (i) CROWN - funded under FET-Open scheme within the Seventh Framework Programme for Research of the European Commission, (ii) HIATUS - funded under FET-Open scheme within the Seventh Framework Programme for Research of the European Commission, (iii) Building Links with India - funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of UK, and (iv) MOD-UDRC - the Ministry of Defence University Defence Research Centre - funded by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of UK and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), UK.

Curent research includes:

Members:
Dr Tharm Ratnarajah
Dr Mathini Sellathurai

Prof. Colin Cowan - Emeritus Professor

Dr Caijun (Tom) Zhong
Dr Christos Masouros
Dr Huiqin Du
Dr David Wilcox
Dr Md. Zahurul I Sarkar
Ayse Kortun-Naci

Dr Faheem Khan

Haichuan Zhou
Jiang Xue
Gareth Dalzell
Yi Luo
Seyed Morteza Razavi
Rongrong Qian
Ní Ms Fióna Mhearáin
Mr Weigang Liu

Visitors:
Prof. Simon Haykin, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Prof S Puthusserypady, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore
Prof. Shankar Prakriya, IIT Delhi, India

Former members:
Dr Zhiguo Ding
Dr Luis G Barbero
Dr Sajid Ahmed
Dr Yu Gong
Dr Minhua Ding
Dr Pei Xiao
Dr Li X Zhang
Dr Wei Liu
Dr Sudharsan Ganesan

PhD projects available with the Digital Signal Processing and Communications group

1) Signal processing and information-theoretic study of Cognitive radio
2) Application of random matrix theory to signal processing and communications
3) Signal processing and information-theoretic study of cooperative communications
4) Quantum information theory: channel capacity, entanglement, error-correcting codes, etc.
5) Biomedical signal processing

These projects demand that the research student already possesses exceptional knowledge in advanced signal processing and communication together with very high mathematical ability and programming skills. In particular the PhD student needs to have prior knowledge in applied mathematics, multivariate statistical analysis, information theory and should be familiar with various wireless communication techniques.

Please contact: T.Ratnarajah@ecit.qub.ac.uk or M.Sellathurai@qub.ac.uk