Description
Priority 2: Priority 2 activities will only be initiated on the explicit request of at least one delegation.
The objective of this activity is to design, manufacture and test a suitable antenna breadboard to demonstrate a low-cost, low profile, unobtrusive, light weight television receive antenna with beam scanning capabilities for self pointing.
Targeted Improvements:
To demonstrate a feasible low cost antenna solution with self-pointing capabilities and low profile: The mass target is below 5Kg and height below 100mm.
Description:
The implementation of low profile antennas with simple internal beam pointing capability (manual or servo-assisted), with a low mass and a low thickness have recently become within reach. The advent of metasurface technology offers interesting design possibilities. The technology consists of a combination of simple substrates and allows a single feeding point, i.e. compatible with existing, low cost receive electronics. The advantages of metasurface-based antennas lie with their extreme simplicity and low profile. The simple build up makes the technology very low cost. Fixed beam pointing with performance comparable to an array have already been demonstrated on breadboards with complexity close to zero (simple change in a metallisation pattern on the antenna aperture). Beam scanning is feasible following a number different strategies and does not significantly impair antenna performance as compared to a fixed pointing solution for elevation scan ranges of 40-50 degrees. Beam scanning is achieved within the antenna panel and does not require mechanical tilting, instead a rotation of the full antenna or some of its parts is used for scanning. The scanning capability ensures correct antenna pointing without the need to be tilt the antenna away from the wall.
The activity will begin with a review of the state-of-the-art and of applicable scenarios deriving subsystem requirements for the antenna configurations with the highest potential. The chosen antenna configuration will be designed using accurate modelling tools for the prediction of the performances and finally a prototype will be manufactured and tested to validate the performance. The activity includes a live demonstration with TV set-top box.
Procurement Policy: C(1) = Activity restricted to non-prime contractors (incl. SMEs). For additional information please go to EMITS news "Industrial Policy m