Prof. Steve Hranilovic

Abstract: Due to the increasing scarcity of RF spectrum and growing interference due to multiple users, deploying next generation high-speed wireless networks is becoming increasingly difficult.  The use of unlicensed optical bands for wireless communications has been heralded as an exciting development for future broadband access for indoor, over long distances terrestrially, underwater and for space communication links.  In particular, space-to-Earth laser satellite communication links are seen as particularly attractive to distribute broadband content to remote and rural communities bridging the digital divide.

This talk presents a broad overview of the work of the Free-space Optical Communication Algorithms Laboratory (FOCAL) at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada in developing novel optical wireless systems.  The main thrusts of the group will be highlighted by emphasizing several recent contributions.  Developments in the signalling design for indoor visible light communication (VLC) systems will be presented along with several prototype VLC communication systems.   Some perspectives on our work on fundamental information theoretic limits of optical wireless channels will be provided and insight on optimal signalling design provided.   The talk will end with an overview of the results arising from our work as a founding member of the Optical Satellite Communications Consortium which has as its core mission the development of optical wireless systems to provide broadband connectivity across Canada’s vast geography.  Finally, a vision for optical wireless technologies into and beyond the 6G era will be presented along with our ongoing research directions.

Biography:

Dr. Steve Hranilovic received the B.A.Sc. degree with honours in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo, Canada in 1997 and M.A.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada in 1999 and 2003 respectively.

He is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) where he currently serves as the Vice-Provost and Dean of Graduate Studies. During 2010-2011 he spent his research leave as Senior Member, Technical Staff in Advanced Technology for Research in Motion, Waterloo, Canada. His research interests are in the areas of free-space and optical wireless communications, digital communication algorithms, and electronic and photonic implementation of coding and communication algorithms. He is the author of the book Wireless Optical Communication Systems (New York:Springer, 2004).

Dr. Hranilovic is a Fellow of the IEEE and of Optica, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario.  In 2016 the title of University Scholar was conferred upon him by McMaster University.  He has served as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Optical Communications and Networking and an Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Communications in the area of Optical Wireless Communications.

Address:Dept. of Electrical and Computer Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada