Research Projects

With the launch of 5G services in India, the demand for smart cities is growing rapidly. Smart cities encompass well-connected infrastructures such as hospitals, residential complexes, shopping malls, convention centers, schools, colleges, and commercial buildings. However, large structures like these often face significant challenges in maintaining reliable indoor reception for telecommunications and wireless internet services. The primary causes of poor indoor coverage include the building materials, the size of the structure, and signal interference, which result in numerous “dead spots” or areas with no cellular signal. Dead spots are particularly prevalent within multistory buildings, where insufficient coverage disrupts essential communication between connected devices. Telecom service providers typically address dead spots by either increasing the number of cell towers or boosting the power of transmitting antennas. However, these approaches are limited by cost, infrastructure constraints, and interference management. A more effective solution involves deploying either small cells or a Distributed Antenna System (DAS). While small cells can be expensive and still face challenges from signal reflections caused by walls, trees, and other objects, DAS offers a more robust alternative. DAS employs multiple antennas strategically placed within a building to provide consistent wireless coverage with reduced total power and enhanced reliability. Despite its advantages, existing DAS solutions are prohibitively expensive as they are primarily designed and manufactured abroad. These systems rely heavily on optimization algorithms for antenna placement rather than on innovative antenna designs. Notably, the role of antennas in DAS is critical as they directly handle the transmission and reception of wireless signals. Designing high-performance, cost-effective antennas for DAS is therefore a pressing need that demands immediate attention. This project aims to address this gap by designing and developing low-cost metamaterial-based donor and indoor antennas for DAS, specifically targeting the 28 GHz mm-wave band for 5G and beyond mm-wave communication. The proposed solution includes an Indoor Antenna designed as a base monopole antenna integrated with a metamaterial substrate to improve performance and ensure efficient indoor signal distribution. Additionally, a Donor Antenna will be developed as an array configuration incorporating a metamaterial substrate, active components, and an optimized array design to achieve robust outdoor signal acquisition. Aligned with the Government’s "Atma-nirbhar Bharat" initiative, this project will develop indigenous solutions to reduce dependency on expensive imported systems. The proposed antennas will offer a cost-effective, high-performance alternative for DAS applications in 5G and beyond mm-wave communication, enabling reliable indoor connectivity in smart city infrastructures.