Reinventing the Physical Layer to Create Interactive Sensing and Computing Systems

Abstract

Harnessing electromagnetic waves has changed how we live, work, and play. While the semiconductor industry has enabled faster, cheaper, and lower power wireless computing devices, there is the opportunity to use this underlying technology to re-examine the physical layer and explore novel sensing mechanisms, new wireless communication techniques, and innovative ways of harvesting energy and delivering power wirelessly. This talk presents an overview of ongoing projects which aims to create new interactive sensing experiences through innovations in hardware and software. Topics will include the use of signal processing techniques that turn battery-free, long-range RFID tags into minimalistic sensors, methods for turning everyday walls into touch interfaces, as well as backscatter sensor nodes that run perpetually off of harvested power.