The radio spectrum is a fundamental resource for wireless communication. Cellular networks, WiFi, and bluetooth are all examples of wireless systems that depend on the radio spectrum. Researchers from Carnegie Mellon University have developed a soft antenna to better utilize radio waves, increasing connectivity and communication.
Historically, antennas are rigid metallic devices that need to be pointed in a specific direction to connect to the radio spectrum. Most programmable radios today either require mechanical or electronic switching between antennas, or wide-band antennas. With radio frequency being tunable, a static antenna can easily lose connection to the frequency. By introducing a soft, flexible antenna, the device can sense and move to the most efficient radio frequency available.
Researchers in Carnegie Mellon’s College of Engineering have developed Softenna, a first-of-its-kind soft-robotic highly reconfigurable antenna platform that dynamically adapts its radio frequency properties, including center frequency, beam pattern, directionality, and polarization. Softenna achieves this through a combination of mechanical and electronic reconfiguration.
“This is an unusual interdisciplinary project where we want to leverage advances in shape-shifting materials and surfaces from robotics for wireless antenna and meta-surface design,” says Swarun Kumar, professor of electrical and computer engineering, director of the WiTech Lab, and lead on the project.
