Stavros Georgakopoulos

Abstract

Florida International University (FIU) is seeking a business partner to develop and commercialize novel Morphing Origami Multi-functional and Reconfigurable Antennas. Antennas that can cover multiple frequency bands and serve different purposes are highly beneficial for wireless communication systems. When applied to satellite communications systems, antennas with a light weight, compact volume, high durability, and high directionality are the preferred configuration. Additionally, the foldable property of origami structures offers a solution to the limitations associated with the storage and transportation of antennas. A multi-functional antenna can morph in order to change geometrical shape and thereby change its antenna radiation characteristics. Such characteristics can include. e.g., radiation pattern, bandwidth, beamwidth, and directivity. The antenna can therefore be multifunctional such that one single antenna can serve multiple applications and/or have multiple operating frequencies. Origami reconfigurable antennas can reduce payload costs while decreasing volume. The design is based on the Nojima origami structure that has been utilized in the past to establish low-cost deployable aerospace structures. Additionally, it allows for versatility as varying kinds of Nojima wrapping models can be developed by utilizing different central hub shapes and creating different angles between segments.

Benefit

Antenna can change from dipole to conical spiralPerformance can be changed from omnidirectional to directionalPerformance can be changed from narrow band to broadbandAllows compact storage of a large dipole in a cylindrical spaceAllows deployment of a conical spiral from a flat dipole design and vice versaAntenna also operates in geometrical states between two extreme states (dipole in unfolded and conical spiral in folded state) to reconfigure its performance such as gain, radiation pattern, operating frequency, bandwidth, return loss, beamwidth etc

Market Application

Spaceborne and airborne applicationsCommercial communication (telephone, television, internet)Military use in tactical antennas, field antennas, and other portable antennas

Abstract

Satellite communications typically use deployable antennas that can be compressed and expanded. In such applications, it is important for the antenna to be able to fit into a small space and then be able to expand to an operational size once the orbit is reached. While the sensors and operating electronics of satellites can be scaled to small volumes, the wavelengths of the signals used by miniaturized satellites to communicate do not scale accordingly. Given that the wavelength of a signal determines the size of an antenna needed to communicate that signal, antennas for miniaturized satellites still must have dimensions similar to those for larger satellites. Because of these size limitations for deployable antennas, some of the advantages of satellite miniaturization remain unrealized. Although origami-folded structures make it possible to design reconfigurable and expandable components for deployable antennas, there are still challenges in making deployable antennas that can balance stowability and reconfigurability with their operational requirements. To address this limitation, FIU researchers have developed origami-folded antennas that are compressible for good stowability and expandable to an operational size while maintaining effective operating properties. These antennas are also tunable; the gain of the antennas can be tuned to specific frequencies by adjusting the amount of expansion of the antennas between a compressed state and an expanded state. The origami-folded antennas can be used for applications in the L band and S band, such as GPS, WiMAX, and satellite communications. These wide-band and frequency tunable antennas can cover different operating bands eliminating the need of multiple antennas.

Benefit

The antenna can change its height and reconfigure its performanceCan provide very large bandwidth for certain heightEliminates the need of multiple antennas

Market Application

Airborne and spaceborne antennasTactile, portable and field antennas

Abstract

Florida International University (FIU) is seeking a business partner to develop and commercialize a Miniaturized WPT system that used multiple layers of resonators and/or tunable capacitors. WPT often uses inductive power delivery, which is the use of non-radiating magnetic fields generated by a transmitter coil to induce a current in a receiver coil. The coils are close to each other for the desired strong inductive coupling. Strongly coupled magnetic resonators systems have shown good efficiency and range, but they require a certain distance between the source and the resonators, and therefore occupy a significant volume. To address this problem, FIU inventors have designed advantageous systems and methods for WPT via multiple-resonator conformal strongly coupled magnetic resonance. Instead of using a single loop as a resonator, multiple resonators (e.g., using multiple loops) were used in a multi-layer. It was shown that the system was able to operate at a lower operating frequency, extended WPT range and higher WPT efficiency.

Benefit

Miniaturizes size of standard WPT systems. Extends the range of standard WPT systems (e.g. 20% increase). Lower operating frequency (e.g., 30% decrease). Higher WPT efficiency compared to single-resonator systems of the same size

Market Application

Charging of: mobile devices, implantable devices or sensors,Eembedded sensors for structural health monitoring of concrete structures and bridges, wearable devices and healthcare applications

Abstract

Florida International University (FIU) is seeking a business partner to develop and commercialize a wireless power transfer system (WPT) that is insensitive to misalignment. WPT is a convenient way to power devices that require electrical energy and continues to gain popularity. A WPT system typically consists of four elements: a source loop, a load loop, and two additional loops that act as resonators. A conventional transmitter includes a planar resonator and source, while the receiver includes a planar load and resonator. The drawback of such a system is that it is only efficient when the transmitter and receiver elements are resonating at the same frequency and are properly aligned (i.e. they must have the same Q factor). It is often impractical or inconvenient to ensure proper alignment in products incorporating WPT, which results in a dramatic decrease in the energy transfer efficiency. To address this problem, FIU inventors have designed advantageous systems for WPT that are insensitive to misalignment. The system does not show a significant decrease in efficiency even if the transmitter and receiver alignment is changed such that they are misaligned. The system can be designed to include one or more conductive loops for transmitting or receiving electric power using inductive coupling. The one or more loops can for a transmitter or receiver or both. These loops can be formed on the surface of a sphere, cone, cylinder, or can form part of one of these shapes. If the device is a receiver, it can be a wearable device. The device can also be an implantable device.

Benefit

Misalignment insensitivity. Conductive loops can be formed on the surface of a: sphere,

Market Application

WPT systems for: wireless charging/powering of mobile devices, sensors, wearable and implantable devices

Abstract

Florida International University (FIU) is seeking a business partner to develop and commercialize robotic intelligent antennas. The antenna could be any electromagnetic structure, such as an antenna array, energy harvester, and a frequency selective surface. Reconfigurable antennas which can be compressed, expanded, deflated, or inflated can be useful for satellite communications, military applications, and hostile environments. It is important for the antenna to be responsive to environmental and signal changes in such applications. Antenna capability can be enhanced through artificial intelligence (AI) to continuously monitor the surrounding environment and real time signal requirements to dynamically transform an antenna structure in response to external or internal stimuli. FIU inventors have developed robotic intelligent antennas that can change their geometry and function by using robotic mechanisms and AI to optimize or reconfigure performance. Robotic mechanisms can guide different components of the antenna in order to change the structural geometry of the antenna. Soft robotic actuators can be used to transform the geometry of the antenna. The transformation of robotic antenna can be guided by AI in order to create intelligent and robotic communication systems that dynamically optimize or change performance by adapting to changes in demand and/or environment. The intelligent robot antenna can comprise a substrate made from a compliant material, a conductive antenna element disposed on the substrate, a senor that senses environmental conditions around the antenna, an actuator that transforms the antenna, and artificial intelligence software that can determine an optimal structural geometry of the antenna based upon the environmental characteristics surrounding the antenna, and direct the actuator to transform the structural geometry of the antenna to an optimal structural geometry.

Benefit

Antenna can change its geometry and function using robotics and AI to optimize its performance dynamically or reconfigure its performance dynamically or reconfigure its performance

Market Application

Tactical, portable and field antennasAirborne and space borne antennas

Abstract

Axial mode conventional antennas have been well known to have applications in satellite communications and global positioning systems due to their high gain and circular polarization. SHAs, such as cross section helical antennas have also been studied and it is known that the SHAs can provide approximately equivalent performance compared to the conventional helical antenna. The linear segments that make up an SHA can be easily supported on a dielectric structure, which can be manufactured at a low cost. The traditional helical antenna only has one sense; either right-hand circular polarization (RHCP) or left-hand circular polarization (LHCP), which is decided by its rolling direction. Circular polarization antennas have been developed, however they need extra switching circuits and power supply, and their gain is lower than that of the traditional antenna. FIU inventors have designed novel and advantageous helical antennas including a RHCP state and a LHCP state that can be switched easily by mechanical rotation around its center axis. The antenna can be implemented using either origami folding or skeleton scaffolding. The physical size of helical antennas becomes considerably large at lower frequencies and requires a strong mechanical support. The inventors have developed several methods to reduce the total antenna volume. The inventors have shown with simulations that the origami SHA can change from the RHCP to the LHCP antenna or vice versa and reduce the total bulk by collapsing the origami while retaining the antenna performance.

Benefit

Reconfigurable polarization performanceSimple mechanical rotation to obtain RHCP and LHCPGood gain at operating frequency

Market Application

SatellitesCommunicationsGlobal positioning systems

Abstract

A variety of sensors can be attached on a human body or implanted into the human body to monitor or check the human body for various reasons. The sensors need power to operate, and they need to be frequently connected to a power source or have a battery replaced. This is time consuming and burdensome. Although WPT technology allows wireless power transfer to a receiver, such as one including a sensor and has come a long way, the current WPT technology requires the receiver to be positioned in a specific site, thereby inhibiting the user of the senor from moving. To address this limitation, FIU inventors have designed novel smart clothes that wirelessly transfer power and communicate with a sensor attached on a human body. The smart clothes when integrated with transmitters, wirelessly transmit power to sensor/devices affixed on the body or placed inside the body. In addition, the smart clothes can also bi-directionally or unidirectionally communicate with the sensor/devices affixed on the body. The smart clothes can include vests, pants, and helmets, among other items that are integrated with batteries and wireless power transmission and data elements. Stickers having WPT elements and sensors can also be used to attach on the body. The stickers can also be free of batteries. The smart clothes can power all the sensors on the body and collect their data.

Benefit

WPT elements are integrated in clothesPower sensors can be fixed to the body (WPT and communication)Battery less WPT elements

Market Application

WearablesHealthDiagnostics

Abstract

Florida International University (FIU) is seeking a business partner to commercialize novel origami-style foldable passive antenna arrays. A passive antenna array is an antenna in which the beam of radio waves can be steered in different directions, and in contrast to an active antenna array, all the antenna elements are connected to a single transmitter and/or receiver. FIU inventors have developed an origami-style foldable passive antenna array with multiple antenna elements arranged on a dielectric substrate. The foldable substrate can have predefined folding lines or hinges to fold into predefined configurations such that the antenna can have an unfolded state and many folded states. Thus, the passive antenna can change shape and operate as a dual-band filter as opposed to single band operation of currently known passive arrays. The passive antenna array can reconfigure its frequencies just by changing its shape by folding into a different state.

Benefit

The passive antenna can be folded into many folded states or geometric shapes. Each antenna element can be separated by folding lines in the substrate. Portable antennas that are easy to store and transport. The antenna can operate as a dual-band filter and reconfigure its frequencies just by changing the shape through folding.

Market Application

The device has applications in radars, wireless systems, commercial communication and military use.