Joint Research Institute for Electronic, Communications and Power Systems

This JRI is structured around three key themes that address issues associated with Electrical Systems Technologies.

The first theme will address the advancement of electronic systems and devices that are based primarily on specific technologies or materials platforms. Clear strategic research opportunities in this area are: optical-electronic interfaces; optical and millimetre-wave imaging; sensor technology using MEMS; bio-sensitive and bio-compatible materials for biosensors; plasmonic sensors and plasmonic signal channelling, and micro-acoustics. The aim is to develop new materials allied to appropriate fabrication technology, integrated functionality and design capability. The requirement for novel design, manufacturing and application-specific engineering of electronic systems incorporates multi-disciplinary engineering skills from fabrication to implementation in diverse domains.

The second theme addresses communications systems technologies from the fundamental implementation of physical electronic and radio frequency components to the transmission, network management, and reception of information in data, multi-media, speech, image and video form. Research in these areas will contribute to technology evolution and opportunity in an environment where sustained communications and information technology progress and capability are accepted worldwide as necessary for growth. Key collaborative themes to be addressed include: wired networks; mobile, wireless and wire-free communication networks; wireless sensor networks; signal processing, encoding and data management in multi-media communications; modelling of signal propagation in complex environments.

The third theme will address the major international research challenges in the search for technology and policy solutions to address fossil fuel replacement, supply security, environmental and climate change issues through novel energy production and end-uses. The focus will be on specific power and energy research challenges, including: Electrical Energy Sources & Storage Technologies; Energy Transportation, Autonomous Power Systems & Active Network Management; Energy Conversion Technologies; Energy Efficiency & Utilisation. The activities will be co-ordinated to take a whole energy system view and to answer significant research questions.