"Metamaterial-based Technology for Broadband Wireless Communications and RF identification (METATEC)"
File: IST-020400-2008-119
1 .- Goal of the project
METATEC The Eureka Project (involving Spain and Serbia) is a research and industrial development, which generally aims at development of emerging technologies based on metamaterials in the optimization and miniaturization of components of RF / microwave for two strategic sectors differentiated: (i) radio frequency identification (RFID) and (ii) the links of broadband wireless communications.
The responsibility of the Spanish Partnership (comprised of the Company SL CENTER AIDA. And by the Center for Research on Metamaterials for Innovation in Electronic and Communication Technologies - CIMITEC, of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona - UAB) is about RFID systems . To develop, based on a clearly focused research to implementation, RFID systems are competitive in terms of size, cost and benefits. The component design technologies planar RF / microwave with metamaterials (CIMITEC has been a pioneer in the development of the same) are potentially suitable for solving those aspects of the current constraints of RFID systems. These are the large size (and therefore cost) of the labels, limited in scope performance (read range) and bandwidth, and, finally, the operation of RFID systems monoband regime. Therefore aims to develop miniature multiband tags (operational in at least two frequency standards) of high performance and low cost that can address new markets such as pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, etc.., Yet today sector out of range of the high current size of labels and / or their limited benefits.
The liability of the partnership Serbian (formed by the University of Novi Sad, the Institute IMTEL and business IMTEL-Mikrotalasi d) concerns the development of miniaturized components and antennas for optimization and compression modules for microwave links for broadband communications According to the WiMax standard. The Spanish participation in the consortium that objective concerns the development of miniature filters based on metamaterials concepts capable of meeting the required specifications.
2 .- Technical description
This project is part of what might be called engineering RF / microwave. We seek development with innovation with regard to design strategies capable of providing solutions to major pitfalls and limitations of current RFID tags. Such limitations relate to the large size of antennas and associated circuitry (network adaptation), operating under the monoband and the limited range of detection (range), the latter a result of the influence that the environment around the label ( typically the product) exerts on it.
Following the specific objectives posed, the project aims, from a technical standpoint, to introduce technologies to design metamaterial RFID tags, both in relation to the antennas, as the impedance matching networks between them and the chip . In particular it aims:
A. Deploying high-performance miniature antennas with a size close to 1cm2.
B. Deploying networks miniature multiband impedance matching.
C. Develop competitive prototype miniature labels.
3 .- Members consortium: description and tasks to develop
Tasks: AIDA CENTER is the responsible entity and project leader. From a technical standpoint, as project leader and knows the market and manufacturing technologies of RFID tags, is responsible for the stages of characterization and manufacturing of the final prototypes and their adaptation to the processes of manufacturing standard.
CIMITEC - UAB
Description: Center for Research on Metamaterials for Innovation in Electronic and Communication Technologies (CIMITEC) from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) Center is a technology with a clear focus, but based on cutting-edge research innovative field with great potential and technology, as is that of the metamaterials. CIMITEC members are internationally recognized as a highly respected group in relation to the application of metamaterials and concepts based on them, in the design and optimization of communications components (http://cimitec.uab.es/ ).
Tasks: CIMITEC responsible for the modeling and design stages, for their background and previous knowledge of metamaterial technology and its application to the miniaturization and optimization of components and circuits of RF / microwave.
4 .- Results
Under construction