List of IC@N Research Projects and Supervisors: School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE)
List of IC@N Research Projects and Supervisors: School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE)
List of IC@N Research Projects and Supervisors: School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE)
(Undergraduate Level)
To restore the traditional trustworthiness on digital photos, scientific
means to expose the common image forgeries is urgently needed. Since
making an image forgery often involves mixing signals from different
image sources, this would destroy the original statistical harmony inside
a photo and lead to many underlying forms of detectable
inconsistencies. In this project, the student is required to implement part
of our statistical detection framework on image inconsistencies,
compare different types of statistical image regularities, and improves
the existing detection framework based on the experimental findings.
(Postgraduate Level)
To restore the traditional trustworthiness on a digital photo, digital
image forensics has recently become a booming research area to identify
the image source and detect possible image forgeries. Some possible
solutions are through detection of various image statistical regularities
and apply state-of-art pattern classification techniques to make forensics
conclusions. However, the common statistical regularities detected are
easily affected by the different image contents and the large variations
on the statistical features can degrade the forensics performance. In this
project, the student is required to address the above issue and propose
valid solution to improve forensics performances by making content
adaptive forensics conclusions. A student with good knowledge
background on image processing and pattern classification is preferred.
Counterfeit Detection
Assoc Prof Ali Iftekhar Isolated DC/DC Converter with MPPT Extraction for DC motor
Maswood Application
[email protected]
(Postgraduate Level)
This project is about photovoltaic power extraction from solar panels. The
project includes discussion on different types of dc-dc converter and types
of maximum power point tracking system (MPPT). Study and
understanding of dc-dc converter and MPPT are done in order to select
the best alternative for the project requirement. An isolated dc-dc
converter is used for this project, and its simulation is carried out in
PSIM/MatLab software. For the maximum power extraction on solar
panels, a MPPT technique is selected, and its simulation is carried out. The
converter is to run a DC motor in the most optimal manner.
(Postgraduate Level)
Fossil fuel is depleting over the years and there are many research into
renewable resource. One of them is using wind turbine system. However,
most wind turbine system uses a popular and common form of
modulation technique which Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation (SPWM).
This is due to simplicity and less complex. However, it generates high total
harmonics distortion (THD). In power system, harmonics leads to losses
and high THD leads to very high losses, and this is deem very inefficient.
The problem is handled at its rectifier. Vienna Rectifier is a three-phase
topology using only three switching device and investigated to study its
properties. Simulations is done to provide analysis on how different types
of Vienna Rectifier is used to improve its THD. In these study, two methods
is used mainly Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) and Hysteresis Current
Controller . PWM uses a fixed frequency to generate the voltage for the
switching device. Hysteresis Current Controller is use to generate the
modulation method based on the its phase input, voltage, output
capacitor voltages. While this study aims at harmonics reduction, Vienna
Rectifier provide additional characteristics of a unity power factor.
Consequently, it provides a more efficient and reliable power system.
Asst Prof Amal Chandran Satellite technology enablers for IoT applications
[email protected]
Singapore’s smart nation initiative will utilize data from a multitude of
sensors. A space based Low-Earth-Orbiting Equatorial constellation of 6
small satellites can provide a continuous efficient back up system for data
relay in the event of failure of the terrestrial network. This space platform
can also thus an efficient technology enabler for disaster recovery and for
IoT hubs for remote areas/ocean-based buoys or autonomous exploration
devices. This project aims to conceptualize and prototype the ground and
space segment for this space based IoT enabler.
(Undergraduate Level)
Assoc Prof Arokiaswami Composite Right Left handed Metamaterials for Microwave Circuits
Alphones
[email protected] Multi band filters/ Leaky wave phenomenon from the composite
right/left-handed transmission lines (CRLH TLs) is a very interesting and
promising topic in recent times. The most important advantage for the
CRLH TLs is that they can be used to design leaky wave antennas which
can radiate backward in the left-handed (LH) mode and forward in the
right-handed mode. With the development of the CRLH TLs, one
important property has been found that the structure can support the
backward radiation when it is working in LH region, and it exhibits
negative permeability and negative permittivity. The structure can be
realized by introducing the series capacitance. The transverse slots
etched in the upper side of the waveguide create series capacitance,
while the solid inductive posts in the rectangular guide create the shunt
inductance. Besides the posts at the side walls, additional posts are
introduced at the centre of the waveguide with one
and three posts alternatively. These contribute the LH property of
the SIW, which is necessary to support a backward radiation.
(Postgraduate Level)
Have you ever wanted to look or image through the skin by light
wave? Skin or bio-tissues do not absorb light significantly; they scramble
the light path and mesh up the spatial information of the objects behind.
We will design and execute a special optical imaging system to de-scatter
light. The captured images are better quality with speckles. Then we will
build an algorithm to reconstruct images and reveal the high quality
images of objects behind a scattering medium. The algorithm is based on
the signal processing with significant knowledge about optical properties
of random scattering media. The project will combine your physical
experiment skills with computational coding skills.
(Postgraduate Level)
Compact visible lasers would enable an extreme technology for many
applications such as lighting, display, or visible light communication.
Conventional solid state lasers based on semiconductor hetero-
structures are technologically matured and ubiquitous but still cannot
cover the whole visible spectrum. Colloidal semiconductor
nanomaterials with full visible colour tune-ability offer a great solution
for this problem. The proposed research aims to study both theoretical
and experimental parts of the colloidal quantum dot lasers. The research
will cover theoretically modelling/optimizing nanocrystal structures for
stimulated emission, chemically synthesizing colloidal semiconductor
nanocrystals, building a resonant cavity to enable a nanocrystal laser by
micro-fabrication techniques, characterizing the optical gain materials
and lasers.
Optoelectronic devices with solution processed materials
(Postgraduate Level)
The research focuses on the optoelectronic devices such as light-
emitting diodes, lasers, solar cells, or photodetectors with advanced
solution processed materials. We are targeting new semiconductor
materials such as perovskites, semiconductor nanomaterials, quantum
dots, nanoplatelets. The research will cover theoretical
modelling/optimizing novel materials, experimentally demonstrating the
materials and their optoelectronic devices with high performances.
Assoc Prof Chang Chip Design of Residue Number System (RNS) Based Scalers
Hong
[email protected] (Final year Undergraduate and Postgraduate Level)
RNS is very attractive for designing high speed digital hardware, especially
in real time process control and signal processing, due to its main
advantage of being able to perform addition and multiplication without
carry propagation between different moduli; Hence, exhibit smaller delay
as compared to that of in Binary Weighted Number System.
However, due to its non-weighted characteristic, carrying out
intermodular operations, such as sign detection, scaling, etc. entice long
delay and large hardware requirement. This project focuses on scaling
operation that is essential in ensuring the results of preceding
operations do not exceed the dynamic range of the system.
Assoc Prof Fan Weijun Design of novel GaAsBi/AlGaAs quantum well lasers
[email protected]
High-performance and low-cost long-wavelength semiconductor lasers
operating in the 1.3 and 1.55 µm range are highly demanded in fiber
optical communication, measurement, and sampling systems. In this
project, we will design a GaAsBi/AlGaAs QW laser using our k.p
programs. We may control Bi composition to achieve smaller
fundamental transition energy (better for 1.55 um long wavelength
emission) and very large band offset for both conduction and valence
bands (better electron and hole confinement. The novel GaAsBi
materials grown on GaAs provide us an opportunity to fabricate high-
performance and low-cost 1.55 um QW laser.
Prof Gan Woon Seng Subjective Study on the New Virtual Bass (Low Frequency) System
[email protected]
(Postgraduate Level)
In this project, we will perform psychoacoustics into how human
perceive low-frequency sound based on the “missing fundamental
phenomenon”. In this project, student will take part on an ongoing
doctoral work dealing with subjective listening tests for different
nonlinear devices (NLDs) used in the Virtual Bass System. Previous
objective studies have shown great promise in using certain types of NLD
to create useful harmonics that enhance the perceived low-frequency
effect. This new subjective study will provide a correlation study on how
to best design the virtual bass system that relates objective and
subjective scores. The virtual bass system is now currently deployed in
enhancing the bass effect for portable devices, like audio player,
handphones, etc
(Undergraduate Level)
The target of this project is to develop a LABVIEW program that can fulfil
various experiments of beam steering algorithms of an ultrasound
transducer (or loudspeaker) array. A basic functional LABVIEW program
without GUI is provided, together with 8 channel analog output board
(PCI-6733) from National Instruments. The functions to be implemented
consists of a GUI with text file operation, channel selector, weight setting
for each channel, weight compensation for each channel, delay
compensation for each channel, optimal update rate, and temperature
compensation for sound speed. This project requires student with good
experience on LABVIEW program and will provide student with an
opportunity to understand basis concepts of array signal processing.
(Postgraduate Level)
With the recent advancement and popularity of the 3D TV LCD in home
entertainment, there is a strong desire to improve on the 3D audio
capability and features of current TV speakers. Several research works
have been on-going in the DSP Lab in NTU and the selected student is to
assist the researchers in carrying out several objective and subjective
measurements. There are several interesting novel works that are yet to
be researched in this field. One such work involves the development of a
new type of 3D audio system that is dependent on the content of multi-
channel audio soundtracks in today’s movie format. Several interesting
research questions to be answered in this work.
(Undergraduate Level)
This project investigates new deployment of the directional sound
system. Student will have the opportunity to assist researchers to carry
out several experiments and deployment of the directional sound
system. Student will also learn the art of measurement of sound
radiation pattern in an anechoic chamber using an array of microphones
and binaural microphone with dummy head and torso. To make this
project more interesting, student will also be involved in programming
the latest embedded processor for implementing some pre-processing
algorithms to drive the directional sound system.
Assoc Prof Gooi Hoay Optimization of Load Aggregator via Maximization of District Benefit
Beng
[email protected] (Postgraduate Level)
A Load Aggregator (LA) combines all Demand Dispatch (DD) and Demand
Response (DR) loads of homes and buildings. Each participant will be
compensated proportionally based on the half-hourly kWh contribution
amount. Based on the declared DD/DR amounts or past historical
measurements and performance, LA is able to schedule DD and DR
loads. LA participates in the optimization of generation and demand by
considering maximum demand, ToU tariff, supply and load constraints,
and traditional and renewal energy sources. Optimization is performed
by maximizing the overall campus benefit. DD and DR will be
incorporated as an expanded version of Automatic Generation Control.
Assoc Prof KIM Tae Design of Robust Sub-threshold Circuits for Highly Energy Efficient
Hyoung, Tony Microwatt Systems
[email protected]
(Postgraduate Level)
In recently emerging battery-powered applications such as mobile
electronics, wireless sensor nodes, RFID Tags, and implantable
biomedical devices, energy efficiency concerns surpass traditional
emphasis on performance. Sub-threshold circuits are attracting interests
since the minimum energy consumption to maximize the battery lifetime
can be achieved in the sub-threshold region. However, various
challenging issues including frailty sub-threshold operations, high
process-voltage-temperature (PVT) variation sensitivity and difficulties in
designing analog and mixed-mode circuits exacerbate the utility of sub-
threshold circuits in real applications. The goal of this research is to
develop sub-threshold circuit design techniques for microwatt
applications with operation robustness and high energy efficiency in
nano-scale technologies.
Asst Prof Leong Wei Lin Novel materials and device structures for printed electronics
[email protected]
Organic and printed electronic devices such as solar cells, transistors and
memories are under intense research due to their potential to enable
production of flexible, stretchable, and low-cost devices. This project
proposes to fabricate and test these printable electronics. Candidates for
this project are preferably those with interests in electronics and
materials characterization.
The demand for new chemical and biological sensing methods for the
effective detection of small amounts of molecules has been continuously
growing for diverse purposes such as health care, food monitoring,
environmental science, and national security. In particular, there is an
increasing concern for health risk originating from screening to detection
of bio-molecules. One element in strategy to address these concerns is
to develop rapid, easy to use, sensitive detection methods which are the
objective of this project. The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR)
supported by noble metal nanostructures provides a powerful platform
for sensitive structural detection of a single or a small number of bio-
molecules. In this project, the student will be guided to design compact,
non-invasive, and cost-effective meta biosensors capable of detecting
specific protein at the single molecule level.
When light is incident upon the interface of two different materials, it will
be bent and refracted at the interface. Normally, the refracted and
incident light beams lie on different sides of the surface normal.
Nevertheless, recent theoretical and experimental developments show
that artificially structured metamaterial can support negative refraction,
where the refracted and incident light beams appear on the same side of
the surface normal. However, most of the previous designs are metal
based, where large dissipation losses strongly deteriorate the
performance of devices under design. In this project, we will explore a
new approach by using all dielectric resonators to achieve low-loss
negative refraction.
(Undergraduate Level)
(Postgraduate Level)
Assoc Prof Ma Maode Design of Efficient Security Schemes for Cloud-based E-Health Systems
[email protected]
(Postgraduate Level)
(Postgraduate Level)
The integration of heterogeneous wireless networks is one of important
issues of 5G wireless technology.
(Undergraduate Level)
Cloud computing is one of today’s most enticing technology areas due to
its cost-efficiency and flexibility. However, there are significant potential
for the system vulnerable to various security weakness. In cloud
computing, since the user’s data has to be released to the cloud and thus
leaves the protection sphere of the data owner. In this project, the
student will investigate various security problems and their impact on
adoption including data confidentiality, data safety and data privacy. The
purpose of this project is to explore ways to a secure, trustworthy,
reliable, and easily applicable Cloud Computing environment.
Design and Implementation of Security Protocol for Wireless Vehicle
Communications
(Undergraduate Level)
"Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) provide
communications among nearby vehicles and between vehicles and the
fixed roadside infrastructure. Vehicular networks are a cornerstone of
the envisioned Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Currently
standards are mainly for communication purposes, and hence there is
limited security for V2I and V2V communications. Thus, the project
objective is to design and implement the security protocol to
authenticate the vehicles and protect the exchanged messages in
vehicular communications, and finally evaluate its performances.
(Undergraduate Level)
The Long Term Evolution (LTE) is the emerging technology for the 4G
wireless cellular networks. Different from conventional wireless cellular
networks, LTE facilitates data transmission between base station and its
mobiles. In this project, the student is expected to investigate various
solutions for QoS provisioning by simulation experiments in the LTE
cellular networks. The student will also explore to design an efficient
MAC layer protocol to support QoS in LTE networks.
Assoc Prof Poenar Daniel Design & simulation of micro-electromagnetic components for RF
Puiu applications and bioMEMS
[email protected]
The goal of this research is to boost the output of a current, freshly started
research project targeting to design original micro-devices for performing
various RF functions useful for either RF applications, or bioMEMS using
magnetic methods.
The starting point is to investigate novel planar microcoils or 3D-like
integrated inductors. Dependence of the magnetic field strength, RF
performance on geometrical parameters, type of the substrate, and the
fabrication method will be investigated. The bulk of the work will most
probably be dedicated to Finite Element Analysis FEA simulations and
analysis of such devices, as well as of their performance. We have
available dedicated licenses for Microwave Studio which is a powerful
electromagnetic simulation software.
The student should be serious, hard-working, knowledgeable in basic
electromagnetics and physics, as well as some knowledge of Si wafer
microfabrication, and have good grades. Although not mandatory, some
earlier exposure to RF design & modelling, and especially FEA
simulations, would be welcome and obviously useful.
This project aims to investigate some methods & devices which can
differentiate airborne particles in size-related categories (bins), i.e.
perform granulometry. Some of these methods are Field Flow
Fractionation (FFF) and aerodynamic separation methods.
FFF separates different particles moving through a channel by applying a
vertical field (or gradient) across the channel (i.e. along the z axis) and
normal to the flow along the x axis. Various types of fields can be
applied: electric, thermal, flow or gravitational. Separation of particles
can also be done with the so-called impactor filter or virtual impactor or
using other flow-based methods.
The goal is to study these separation techniques/devices, determine
their performance and do simulations to optimize the performance of
each. For this purpose, the student will:
Perform a literature review, for introduction in topic, understanding of
the theoretical principles and extraction of relevant equations, which will
be used for preliminary calculations.
Use a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software (CFD-ACE) for simulations &
optimizations. The optimized structures obtained at the end of the
previous step will then be compared in terms of performance, and the
best one(s) will be selected for the next step.
4) If time will allow, we can also investigate how the designed devices
can be fabricated using simple methods such as soft lithography, or
multilayer Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) or 3D printing.
The student picking up this project should easily understand the equatio
ns and principles underlying the operation of the desired methods & dev
ices and
be able to quickly learn the FEA software. The student will collaborate wi
th a Project Officer currently working in a small research project with the
same topic.
Assoc Prof Soong Boon Study and analysis of Smart Wireless Sensor Networks based on TV
Hee White
[email protected]
(Postgraduate Level)
(Postgraduate Level)
Assoc Prof See Kye Yak Fault Detection using Machine Learning and Statistical Data Analysis
[email protected]
(Undergraduate Level)
Huge amount of data for rail faults detection was collected. Analysis of
the collected data can reveal any deviation from the normal operation
and this deviation is indicative of the system’s potential malfunction or
defect. The task in this project is to analyse the data and find those
specific defect signals and also to identify the specific signature of the
defect based on the available information.
(Postgraduate Level)
The growth of wireless communications, such as GSM mobile services,
wireless LAN, TV and radio broadcast, have brought us much
convenience. However, it also means that our environment is occupied
by a wide spectrum of electromagnetic fields, which could be an
electromagnetic interference (EMI) threat to sensitive electronic devices,
for example, medical electronics in hospital. Frequency selective surfaces
(FSS) have been studied extensively since 1960s and been deployed in
the design of randomes, Cassegrainian reflectors and reflect-array
lenses, mostly for defense applications. The use of FSS in EMI
suppression provides selective protection against strong electromagnetic
field at specific frequency. The project aims to employ 3D full-wave
electromagnetic modelling software to design and to implement a FSS
that behaves as a band stop shielding at the ISM band (2.45 GHz).
Prof Shen Zhongxiang Design of Low-profile Wide-band UHF Slot Antennas
[email protected]
(Postgraduate Level)
Wide-band UHF antennas are extensively used in many radar and
communication systems. The objective of this project is to design a low-
profile slot antenna that exhibit broadband characteristics in the UHF
band.
Assoc Prof Tang Xiaohong Selective post-growth bandgap tuning of semiconductor quantum well
[email protected] structure for novel photonics devices
(Postgraduate Level)
(Postgraduate Level)
(Postgraduate Level)
Prof Tay Beng Kang CVD growth and application of Sb thin flakes
[email protected]
(Undergraduate Level)
(Postgraduate Level)
(Postgraduate Level)
With the increase in mobile phones and smart homes, research focused
on higher frequency bands. This resulted in interference between
adjacent circuitries. Electromagnetic isolation has been introduced to
avoid unwanted coupling from EMI. MWCNTs have shown potential due
to absorption and negligible skin depth effect. In this project, the student
will design and develop a novel high performance carbon based EM
shield that benefit from properties such as light weight, size reduction,
high aspect ratio and improved EM isolation as compared to classical
approaches that are critical for the advancement of future miniaturised
HF devices.
Project Duration: 6 months
(Postgraduate Level)
With the increase in mobile phones and smart homes, research focused
on higher frequency bands. This resulted in interference between
adjacent circuitries. Electromagnetic isolation has been introduced to
avoid unwanted coupling from EMI. MWCNTs have shown potential due
to absorption and negligible skin depth effect. In this project, the student
will design and develop a novel high performance carbon based EM
shield that benefit from properties such as light weight, size reduction,
high aspect ratio and improved EM isolation as compared to classical
approaches that are critical for the advancement of future miniaturised
HF devices.
Assoc Prof Xiao Gaoxi Co-evolution of opinion and social network topology in opinion
[email protected] formation
Assoc Prof Zheng Yuanjin Design a MIMO Communication System for Wireless Ingestible Capsule
[email protected] Applications