Electrical and Computer Engineering Research Themes
Signal Processing and Communications
Research in signal processing and communications incorporates a wide range of areas, including statistical, nonlinear and multidimensional signal processing, and wireless communication and networking technologies. Signal detection and estimation are also included. Focus applications include time-series forecasting, radar signal processing, signal/image enhancement and noise reduction, modeling error rates for high-speed optical receivers, 5G and beyond, satellite communication networks, energy systems and cyber-physical systems, algorithms for compressive sensing, and biological/biomedical signal and image analysis.
Computer Vision and Image Processing
Research in computer vision and image processing typically focuses on algorithm development for image/video quality enhancement. Research also focuses on making inferences from image/video by detecting and tracking objects of interest while understanding the spatial and temporal relationships between objects. Application areas include robotic vision systems for industrial automation, autonomous navigation, enhancement and analysis of medical and spectral images, and automated surveillance and security systems.
Control Systems
Research in control systems focuses on stochastic, nonlinear/chaotic and uncertain systems. Application areas include consumption modeling and forecasting, estimation theory based smart chemical sensing in liquid environments, condition monitoring in battery management systems, order reduction in HVAC control systems, detection state estimation and control of cyber-physical systems in the presence of sensor and actuator attacks and failures, diagnostics and prognostics in electric energy systems and smart power grid synchronization.
Electromagnetic Fields and Waves
Electromagnetics research consists of computational electromagnetics, electromagnetic scattering and inverse scattering, antennas and wave propagation, and interactions between mechanical and electromagnetic properties of materials. Targeted applications include finite element models of electromagnetic devices and antenna characteristics modeling.
Power and Energy Systems
Research in power and energy focuses on designing, modeling and analyzing electric machines and drives. Focus applications include transportation electrification (aerospace, land vehicles and ships) and renewable energy systems (wind, solar and wave energy). This research area also specializes in power systems, with a special focus on microgrids and smart grids. Semiconductor devices and photovoltaics are also covered.
Solid-State Devices and Sensor Systems
Research in sensor systems includes: solid-state devices, acoustic-wave devices, micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices; RF-MEMS devices, microfluidics, Dielectrophoresis (DEP); nanoscale device fabrication and characterization; microsystems; and avalanche photodiodes. Key applications include: smart sensors systems, bio-chemical, thermal, electro-magnetic, biological sensing, physical sensing systems, advanced sensor signal processing methods, sensor networks, optical communication and networks, and microscopy.
Machine Learning
Research in machine learning focuses on algorithms which adapt based on data provided to them. Machine learning techniques include statistical pattern recognition, deep neural networks, and evolutionary algorithms. Current research focuses on time-series forecasting, event prediction, image and video analysis, data-driven dynamic network resource management, machine learning-empowered wireless communications, and modeling of biological systems.
Embedded Systems and IoT
Research on embedded systems includes analyzing electronic systems with embedded microcontrollers and multicore Systems-on-Chip (SoC), i.e. cell phones and digital cameras. Focus areas include hardware/software co-design or hardware platform synthesis with performance, power consumption, and reliability as design objectives.
Internet-of-Things (IoT) research focuses on geographically distributed sensors, robots, vehicles, industrial controllers and actuators connected via a network. Focus applications include structural building monitoring, Internet of Vehicles, Industrial Internet of Things, optimization of microgrids in power systems, and smart home and smart city. It also includes big data collection and data analytics via machine learning techniques.
