Workshop on Optical Wireless Applications planned

Improved security, the absence of electromagnetic interference, a solution to the current spectrum crunch and energy efficiency are a few of the topics that will be discussed at the first meeting of the Industry/University Cooperative Research Center on Optical Wireless Applications, a joint project of Penn State and the Georgia Institute of Technology funded by the National Science Foundation. The workshop will take place on May 20 to 22 at the Nittany Lion Inn on the Penn State University Park campus.

The center aims to provide leadership in developing a new generation of environmentally friendly, extremely wideband optical wireless technology applications using solid-state devices for communications, networking, imaging, positioning, ensure navigation and remote sensing. Wireless optical applications can enable mobility and data communications in hospitals where electromagnetic communications can interfere with equipment, provide accurate global positioning system information indoors, navigation of robots in future automated factories, allow inflight entertainment and communications without interfering with navigation and provide a secure network when WiFi cannot.

The workshop is intended for engineers, leaders and executives in industry, including light source manufacturers, communications engineers, researchers in the communications and optical fields and anyone interested in wireless communication. The workshop will include a series of presentations on present work and discussion of appropriate future paths.

Provided by Penn State