This talk outlines a method of analysis of Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna systems which uses their achievable capacity and throughput as the most important performance metric. It is a paradigm shift from the traditional design methods which are based on quantities such as gain, radiation efficiency, impedance bandwidth, etc. The latter, while traditionally important metrics for Single Input Single Output (SISO) systems, are only intermediate performance indicators in MIMO. The talk presents examples where traditional performance criteria fail to correctly predict the ultimate performance of MIMO antennas in an actual system. The trade offs between the traditional design and the one proposed here are outlined. On the somewhat negative side, the throughput based design approach requires at least some knowledge of the characteristics of the propagation environment and the antenna system at the other side of the link. On the positive side, however, the throughput based design can predict more realistic performance of a MIMO capable radio and result in smaller size, lower cost product without sacrificing throughput. The talk will end with suggested future directions of research which further improve the analysis and design of MIMO antenna systems.

Biography:

Nick Buris received the diploma of Electrical Engineering in 1982 from the National Technical University of Athens, Greece and the Ph.D. in EE from the North Carolina State University in 1986. In 1986, he was a visiting professor at NCSU working on space reflector antennas for NASA. In 1987 he joined the faculty of the ECE dept. at UMass, Amherst. His research work there focused on microwave magnetics, broadband phased arrays and tunable arrays printed on ferrite substrates. In 1990 he was a summer faculty fellow at the NASA Langley Research Center working on an ionization (plasma) sensor for an experimental reentry spacecraft. From 1992 to 2009 he held various leadership positions at Motorola Labs. He has worked and managed large projects on antenna product design, RF propagation measurements, RFID’s, mm wave systems and the development of proprietary software tools for electromagnetics, wireless system design and multidisciplinary optimization. In 2009 he founded NEBENS, a consulting company focusing on cross layer design aspects (antenna, coverage and algorithms) of Smart Antenna based wireless systems as well as spectrum management and coexistence algorithms for Software and Cognitive Radio systems. NEBENS recently developed and commercialized MIMObit, a software tool based on its core competence. Since December 2017, Nick is also a professor at Shanghai University building a research program on various aspects of advanced wireless communication systems. Nick is an IEEE fellow and has served the IEEE, CTIA and the TIA by participating in and/or chairing various of their technical program and standards committees.