Research

• BER Calculator (beta)

by Jos Akhtman

The following tool is capable of predicting the achievable Bit Error Rate (BER) performance exhibited by a wide range of wireless transceiver schemes. The estimated BER performance is calculated using a semi-analytical model. The model employed is particularly accurate for uncoded systems, where it may be regarded as fully analytical. In the case of coded systems the model is designed to approximate the performance of the particular transceiver scheme employed by the authors. More specifically, we used a parallel-concatenated turbo-coded system.

A whole host of research topics contributing towards providing ubiquitous wireless communications services are addressed by the Group. Our main activities are related to the range of physical layer enabling technologies, although a variety of network-layer functions and implementation-specific issues related to VLSI chip design are also addressed. Below we endeavour to provide a snap-shot of our activities in the field with reference to some of the current researchers' work.

Since the end of the last century, when Marconi and Hertz demonstrated the feasibility of radio transmissions, mankind has endeavoured to fulfill the dream of flawless wireless multimedia telecommunications, enabling people to communicate with anyone, anywhere, at any time, using a range of multimedia services. In fact, "virtually" being with someone, anywhere, at any time at the push of a dialing key - provided that the wireless system, the communicator device as well as the human/communicator interface are up to the associated requirements - is a concept that ultimately leads to the impression of "tele-presence" while communicating.
Naturally, the provision of these "tele-presence" services requires a further quantum leap in a range of enabling technologies from the current state-of-the-art, which is constituted by the well-known mobile phone. The Communications Group is endeavouring to contribute in most of the associated areas. Our long-term research is focused on communications and information theory, providing ideas for more short-term applied research.