Dr. John O'Hara

Dr. Pejman Ghasemzadeh
Dr. Shahriar Shahabuddin

Profile

Communication systems permeate all facets of everyday life and are, in a sense, the nervous system that binds together society. Examples of these communications systems include, but not limited to, cellular, WiFi, Bluetooth, near field communications (NFC), satellite communications, fiber optics communication, laser communications and visible light communications. Aspects of communication theory, networking and signal processing are used to improve the throughput, robustness, coverage and reliability of communication links and network performance.

The research carried out by the Communication, Network and IoTs Group focuses on the key enabling technologies needed for designing and implementing future communication systems. This research thrust is focused on the analysis and design of backbone networks, including secure communications protocols and reliable links. Through 5G and beyond communication technologies, the Communications group works on building blocks of “Smart and Connected Communities”. Particular topics of current interest include cognitive radio systems (also known as software defined radio), visible light sensing and communications, millimeter- and terahertz-wave communication, Internet of Things (IoT) applications, UAV-assisted (unmanned aerial vehicle) wireless systems, and satellite communications.

Dr. Chuck Bunting
Dr. Syed Jehangir

Dr. James (Jim) West (Emeritus)

Dr. Jeffrey Young

Profile

Radio and microwave frequency electromagnetic energy is used in numerous existing and developing technologies, such as wireless communications, radar detection and imaging, navigation, RFID, environmental sensing, and medical sensing and treatment. As new applications are developed, specialized antenna, guiding, shielding, and other structures must be implemented that are optimized for the specified use. With more and more systems relying on wireless technologies, interference between them must be understood and mitigated. Practicing engineers in RF and microwave technologies not only analyze electromagnetic radiation, propagation, and scattering, but also apply advanced statistical and signal processing techniques to design systems that will perform accurately and reliably in various different physical environments.

The Robust Electromagnetic Field Testing and Simulation (REFTAS) Laboratory is a leader in the field of applied RF and electromagnetic frequency research. Recent projects have characterized the random electromagnetic environments in avionics bays, beneath rocket launch fairings, and below ship decks. Projects also have included airborne measurement and analysis of navigation signals, design and implementation of antenna and RFID systems, investigation of radar scattering from rough surfaces and other structures, and development of radar image processing techniques.

Dr. Hamidreza Nazaripouya
Dr. Ying Zhang

Profile

Energy and Power research lies in the broad area of power systems and power electronics. Power systems research is conducted in the areas of the modeling, computing, planning, operation and analysis of electric generation, transmission, distribution, and microgrid systems, electricity markets, and smart grids that accommodate of renewable energy resources, energy storage systems, electric vehicles, and responsive load. Power Electronics research is conducted in the areas of modeling and control of power electronic converters, grid forming and grid following inverters, Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS) devices, and smart inverters. The faculty members are also interested in the applications of control, optimization, data analytics, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) in power systems.

Dr. Qi Cheng

Dr. Guoliang Fan

Dr. Daqing Piao

Dr. Keith Teague (Emeritus)

Vacant Research Associate and Research Assistant Positions with Dr. Qi Cheng
Vacant GRA Position for Dr. Daqing Piao's Lab in Spring 2025

Profile

The prevalence of various data and signal processing technologies and high performance computing hardware has enabled the ability to mathematically manipulate data which has formerly relied on the brain for processing such as speech, audio, images, and video, focuses on fundamental theory and applications to real-world problems. Imaging, machine vision and signal processing touch a large variety of engineering problems, from communication to human-computer interface, to medical imaging and multimedia. Image formation and machine vision applications include virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), mixed reality (MR), human-computer interaction (HCI), and medical imaging such as X-rays, CT-scan, video surveillance, instrumentation and measurement applications, and autonomous (unmanned) vehicles, while signal processing algorithms are widely applied in radar, sonar, sensor arrays, audio and speech processing, and communication systems (statistical signal processing).

Research in this area includes three main thrusts (1) Signal processing: audio compression, speech recognition, speech synthesis, language identification, statistical signal processing, and wireless communication systems; (2) Image formation and processing: image compression, image enhancement, and medical image formation and analysis; and (3) machine vision: 3D indoor modeling, semantic scene understanding, markerless motion capture and human pose estimation.

Dr. Weihua Sheng

Dr. Gary Yen

Dr. Martin Hagan (Emeritus)

Profile

Control systems are a key enabling technology for the functionality and safety of many critical applications such as transportation systems, manufacturing systems, medical devices, networked embedded systems and robots. The design of today's complex control systems calls for an interdisciplinary approach that involves electrical, chemical, mechanical and aerospace engineering, as well as biology, computer science, and economics. Intelligent robots, a classic example of a control system, have a wide spectrum of applications and have been attracting growing interest from both academia and industry.

OSU has a strong interdisciplinary program in control systems engineering. Collaborations in the program are with Chemical Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Management, and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. Current research projects focus on predicting impending failures in complex interrelated structures, using assessment tools based on emerging neural network and fuzzy logic technology. Additional work involves neural network based intelligent controllers capable of self-optimization, on-line adaptation and autonomous fault detection and controller reconfiguration. Research in robotics mainly focuses on mobile robot control, autonomous vehicles, social robots and human-robot interaction.

Dr. John O'Hara

Dr. Daqing Piao

Dr. Weili Zhang

Vacant GRA Position for Dr. Daqing Piao's Lab in Spring 2025

Profile

“Photonics” and “Electro-Optics” are not the most familiar words in society today, but photonic and electro-optic systems are very familiar to everyone. Such systems touch every aspect of our lives, from atmospheric imaging and advanced weather prediction, to solar power and solid-state lighting, to high-speed fiber-optical communication, to the latest technologies in laser-based health care and manufacturing. The primary research goal is to create the next generation of light-based or light-like technologies with a particular emphasis on experimental bio-photonics and terahertz research.

The Photonics and Electro-Optics group at OSU-ECE researches the creation and analysis of next- generation optical and hybrid optical/electronic systems, with emphasis on bio-photonics, terahertz, and novel artificial materials for the manipulation of light. OSU bio-photonics researchers are using light or light-like electromagnetic radiation to advance non-invasive and minimally-invasive medical diagnostics and treatment procedures. OSU terahertz researchers are finding new ways to utilize the terahertz frequency band for 6G communications, machine-vision/imaging, and remote chemical sensing. OSU materials scientists are using ultrafast lasers to study and create new devices with fantastic properties such as non-reciprocal antennas, optical diodes, and plasmonic switches.

Dr. John Hu

Profile

Over decades the field of signal electronics has significantly evolved with aggressive scaling, innovative technologies, and emerging applications. Technologies such as millimeter-wave security scanners, 5G/6G communications, automotive radars, internet of things, and CubeSat data networks have become a critical part of our lives. However, this new environment has imposed stringent circuit requirements of faster speed, wider bandwidth, higher frequency, lower power consumption, higher resolution, and so on. In order to meet these requirements, designers need to not only understand principles of circuit theory, semiconductor physics, signal processing, digital design, microwave engineering, optics, but also incorporate interdisciplinary ideas (chemistry, biology, mechanical and aerospace engineering, to name a few) into their design.

The Solid-State Electronics Group at OSU actively investigates the following main research areas: analog/mixed signal design, RF/microwave circuits and systems, terahertz sensing/communication, and extreme-environment electronics. The primary research thrust is to enable new systems and applications by designing innovative integrated circuits (ICs) using silicon, compound, or hybrid technologies.

Dr. Hritom Das

Dr. John Hu
Dr. Shahriar Shahabuddin

Dr. Weihua Sheng

Dr. James Stine

Profile

The revolution in communications and information technology has been enabled by semiconductor industry’s ability to manufacture integrated circuits (IC) containing millions of transistors with high reliability. Research in VLSI typically includes mixed-signal communications, digital control systems, VLSI computer architectures, and digital circuit and system design. While systems become smaller and smaller, more capabilities are being put directly onto a silicon wafer. Moreover, existing designs require excessive design costs to achieve the power, area, and performance requirements of complex system-on-chip (SoC) solutions, thus making current designs challenging and exciting. Technologies in VLSI and computer architecture allow us to manufacture power-efficient but powerful microcontrollers for a wide spectrum of embedded systems ranging from wearable devices and smart TVs, to intelligent robots and autonomous vehicles. Research in embedded systems focuses on the design, implementation and test of microcontroller-based systems for many real-world applications. 

Research in VLSI, Computer Architecture and Embedded Systems at OSU consists of four main areas of concentration:  a) Theoretical computer architecture in search of new paradigms and instruction set architectures for application-specific and general-purpose computing, b) System-on-Chip design for application-specific areas in signal processing, communication, security, high-frequency electronics, and artificial intelligence, c) Computer arithmetic algorithms and their associated implementations related to the application and evolution of targeted optimized computation, d) wearable computing, edge computing and hardware implementation of machine learning algorithms.