Research aims to protect front line troops

A team from Queen's University Belfast's Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) is building on work recently completed for the MOD and is investigating the use of arrays of highly specialised antennas. These could be worn by troops to provide covert short range person to person battleground communications. According to lead researcher, Dr Simon Cotton of CSIT's Radio Communications Research Group, the project could lead to the development of advanced wireless systems that would enable small squads of soldiers to share real time video, covert surveillance data and tactical information with each other via visors mounted on their helmets. Dr Cotton said: "Through our work, we aim to overcome some formidable challenges as the proposed wireless devices will be expected to operate in a range of environments much more exacting than those encountered in civilian life. Despite this, they still need to be extremely reliable, efficient and resilient to 'jamming' or interception and decryption by enemy forces. Our job is to help make them a reality by modelling how the devices would work in real life; how the signals would be transmitted to and from the body of each user and what types of antennas would be required to allow them to function properly." To do this, says Dr Cotton, the team is modelling specific combat scenarios using state of the art animation normally used to create computer games. "We believe that ultimately this work will lead directly to the development of new applications not only for the military but also for the emergency services and the sports and entertainment markets," added Dr Cotton.