TOPIC PREDICTION FOR AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

Not Available The U.S. Army has a need for the development of new antenna materials technologies that will extend the band coverage and direction of arrival of communications, radar warning, and countermeasure antennas. This new materials technologies study should result in an extremely broad bandwidth antenna which operates in frequencies from 0.05 GHz to 94 GHz. Due to the proliferation of wireless systems, a broadband multifunction antenna which can replace several, or many, existing single-function antennas is needed. This need is shared by both the government as well as the commercial sector. Due to space limitations, weight limitations, limited power budget, etc., existing antennas are unsuitable. The present SBIR (Small Business Innovative Research) phase-I solicitation is focused on new antennas materials technologies which will help alleviate this problem. In this proposed program, research will be conducted using WEO's patented SMM (spiral-mode microstrip), which is the only conformal, broadband antenna in existence, as the underlying technology. Five new antenna technologies developed at WEO will be applied to the SMM antenna to help broaden its bandwidth and reduce its electrical size. A phase-II approach will be defined. BENEFITS: This development would have a significant impact on the commercial communications industry. Applications could be made to commercial aviation, vehicles, etc. The most significant application would be the enhancement of personal wir