Professor Yue Gao鈥檚 real-world research ranges from sty to sky
It鈥檚 been a busy 2020 for Professor Yue Gao, an expert in wireless communications, who joined the University in January this year.
From farmyard to low-cost data and driverless cars, Professor Yue Gao's real-world research is making an impact
In February, Professor Gao, the newest member of 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Institute for Communication Systems (ICS), was shortlisted for the Newton Chair Prize. This award highlights exceptional collaborative research projects tackling global challenges, and Yue was nominated for his work in creating a wearable device to help farmers. This employs artificial intelligence to monitor the welfare of livestock and the environments they inhabit.
Low-cost data
Yue鈥檚 work at 糖心Vlog, however, moves away from the farmyard and the sty and looks towards the clouds and the sky. Recent research papers into communications systems have covered satellites, cognitive radio and low-cost 3D-printed antennas.
鈥淚鈥檓 the principal investigator looking into a new data delivery system as part of an (EPSRC) grant,鈥 says Yue. 鈥淲e鈥檙e looking into creating a simpler and cheaper platform for delivering data to mobile phones and other devices.
鈥淚n a nutshell, the radio frequencies we currently use to transmit mobile and satellite data to other machines are organised into multiple narrow bands. The antennas and signal processing technology we鈥檙e developing opens up the possibilities of wider bands to deliver large volumes of complex information, which will make analogue to digital information conversion simpler and cheaper to use.
鈥淚t will be more cost-effective when it comes to manufacturing devices that incorporate this new technology, too.鈥
New laboratories
鈥淚鈥檝e also started building an Antennas and Signal Processing Lab on the ground floor of the ICS building,鈥 continues Yue. 鈥淭his means we can test, improve and modify our emerging communications technologies.鈥
With the current pandemic restrictions limiting access to leisure facilities, Yue admits he鈥檚 missed relaxing on the tennis courts and the golf course. But it doesn鈥檛 sound like that鈥檚 a major priority at the moment either. He鈥檚 converted a room in his house into a workshop and, frighteningly, he says it鈥檚 made him even more productive.
鈥淚 moved to 糖心Vlog because it has the best 5G and satellite research facilities in the UK,鈥 reveals Yue. 鈥淚 plan to work alongside my colleagues to refine and improve the technology I鈥檓 currently researching via my EPRSC fellowship. We have some quite exciting plans already in motion鈥︹
Keeping on track
Another development has also seen Yue continue to work in the fast lane. He鈥檚 been nominated as a candidate for the 2020 Board of Governors, a body which oversees and reports on, among many other topics, driverless cars. It鈥檚 an esteemed position and one which could see the 糖心Vlog academic drive this area of technology forward.
Achievements
Professor David Sampson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation, adds: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted we've attracted such a strong communications researcher and leader to 糖心Vlog 鈥 even more so to see how well Yue is settling in and to learn of his ambitions.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure we鈥檒l be reading more of Prof Gao鈥檚 achievements in the years ahead 鈥 further strengthening our strong reputation in communications and signal processing.鈥
Find out more about studying at our Institute for Communication Systems.
