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Non-terrestrial Communication System for Aerial-based Object Recognition and Positioning

Project

Project Details

Program
Electrical Engineering
Field of Study
Computer Engineering and Computer vision
Division
Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering

Project Description

Modern aerial-based technology offers a promising way to ensure sustainability and increase productivity in the outdoor economy, such as agriculture, environment monitoring, and infrastructure inspection. UAVs play a crucial role in modern intelligent systems. Equipped with cameras and sensors, UAVs fly over large areas and capture high-resolution aerial imagery to provide real-time object information. Moreover, the wireless transceivers equipped on UAVs facilitate data collection and forwarding services. However, in remote desert areas, traditional terrestrial networks and electricity infrastructure are often unavailable. Satellite connections are not suitable due to high latency and expensive service charges. Using UAVs to set up a non-terrestrial wireless communication system is a more practical and cost-effective solution. The aim of this project is to utilize civilian single-lens drones to develop a cost-effective system for detecting and tracking objects from high-altitude perspectives and establish an energy-efficient non-terrestrial communication system. The student will focus on creating a robust model tailored for high-altitude object recognition, developing a positioning system that can handle the unique challenges of desert environments, and conducting thorough evaluations to ensure the wireless communication system is energy-efficient and sustainable.

About the Researcher

Basem Shihada
Professor, Computer Science
Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering Division

Affiliations

Education Profile

  • Ph.D. Computer Science, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, 2007
  • M.S. Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 2001
  • B.S. Computer Science, United Arab Emirates University, United Arab Emirates, 1997

Research Interests

Professor Shihada's current research covers a wide range of topics in wired and wireless communication networks, including wireless mesh, wireless sensor, multimedia, and optical networks. He is also interested in network security and cloud computing.

Selected Publications

  • Li Xia and B. Shihada, "Power and Delay Optimization for Multi-Hop Wireless Networks," International Journal of Control, Accepted, 2014.
  • A. Showail, K. Jamshaid, and B. Shihada, "WQM: An Aggregation-aware Queue Management Scheme for IEEE 802.11n based Networks", in Proc. ACM Sigcomm Capacity Sharing Workshop (CSWS), Accepted, 2014.
  • A. Dhaini, P-H. Ho, G. Shin, and B. Shihada, "Energy Efficiency in TDMA-based Next-Generation Passive Optical Access Networks", IEEE/ACM Transactions on Networking, Vol. PP, No. 99, 2013.
  • Li Xia and B. Shihada, "Max-Min Optimality of Service Rate Control in Closed Queueing Networks," IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Vol. 58, No. 4, pp. 1051-1056, 2013.
  • M. Suresh, R. Stolern, E. Zechman, and B. Shihada, "On Event Detection and Localization in Acyclic Flow Networks", IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics - Part A: Systems and Humans, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 708-723, 2013.
  • A. Elwhishi, P-H. Ho, K. Naik, and B. Shihada, "A Novel Message Scheduling Framework for Delay Tolerant Networks Routing", IEEE Transaction on Parallel and Distributed Systems, Vol. 24, No. 5, pp. 871-880, 2013.

Desired Project Deliverables

1. Training a new deep learning model for object recognition from the UAV perspective. 2. Developing an object positioning and tracking system for desert environments from the UAV perspective. 3. Evaluating the energy consumption of building a non-terrestrial communication system by UAVs for object recognition and positioning.

Recommended Student Background

Machine Learning
Programming Languages and Algorithms
Data Analytics
Computer engineering and vision