In A Communication Industry Breakthrough, IIT Kanpur Introduces ‘Planar Trefoil Knot Antennas' Compact in Size to Fit in PCBs

• The novel technology, ‘Planar Trefoil Knot Antennas’ has been granted Indian Patent No. 431872 for having unique applications in the communication industry.
• In comparison to the existing bulky 3D knot antennas available in the market, this tri-polarized antenna is a unique technology that is compact in size and can be easily fitted in PCBs, occupying less space.
• This technology that can produce both omnidirectional and directional patterns can benefit telecommunication, healthcare, consumer electronics, aerospace and defense, and other markets.

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) announces the development of 'Planar Trefoil Knot Antennas,' which can be a breakthrough for the communication industry. It has been developed with the collaborative efforts of Mr. Saurabh Shukla (Ph.D. Student) and Prof. Ayyangar Ranganath Harish from the Department of Electrical Engineering at IIT Kanpur. The novel invention has been granted Indian Patent No. 431872 for having unique applications in the communication industry.

The increasing utilization of wireless systems, wireless communications, and the rising adoption of antenna in consumer electronics such as smartphones, laptops, wearables, tablets and other devices are expected to drive the antenna market over the coming years. Moreover, a significant rise in the need for smart antennas as a result of technological advancements in this segment is expected to provide a boost to the market. IIT Kanpur’s invention can be a great addition to this growing segment.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director of IIT Kanpur, said, “This is a significant development in technology and has far reaching implications for India’s communication and other industries. The technology showcases the ingenuity and expertise of our researchers at IIT Kanpur. Its capability to produce both omnidirectional and directional patterns gives it an edge over the market alternatives. We believe that this invention will revolutionize the way antennas are used in a wide range of applications, contributing to the advancement of wireless systems and meeting the growing demand for smart antennas.”

The 'Planar Trefoil Knot Antennas' marks an important advancement in the communication industry by offering unique applications. This innovative structure can produce both omnidirectional (which radiates and receives energy 360° in the horizontal plane around the antenna) as well as directional patterns (which radiates and receives wave power in a specific direction), providing exceptional versatility for various end-users. The market segments that stand to benefit from this technology include telecommunication, healthcare, consumer electronics, aerospace, defense, and more.

The growing utilization of wireless systems and communications, and RFID (radio-frequency identification) tags to serve security purposes and wireless computer networks, coupled with the rising adoption of antennas in various consumer electronics, is expected to drive the antenna market in the coming years. The advent of 5G technology and the focus on developing PCB (printed circuit boards), LCP (liquid crystalline polymers) and MPI (modified polyimide) solutions further contribute to the anticipated growth.

The 'Planar Trefoil Knot Antennas' technology presents an antenna that finds unique applications in WIFI, WLAN, RFID, indoor communication systems, radar systems, and more. Compared to existing bulky 3D knot antennas available in the market, this invention offers a compact and cost-effective solution that can be easily integrated into PCBs, occupying less space.

While the market potential is promising, there are certain challenges to overcome, including manufacturing costs and the bulky structure of traditional antennas. However, the 'Planar Trefoil Knot Antennas' address these limitations, providing a practical and efficient alternative.

With the successful development of the 'Planar Trefoil Knot Antennas' and the grant of the Indian Patent, IIT Kanpur reaffirms its commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation and technology.

About IIT Kanpur:

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur was established on 2nd November 1959 by an Act of Parliament. The institute has a sprawling campus spread over 1055 acres with large pool of academic and research resources spanning across 19 departments, 22 centres, and 3 Interdisciplinary programs in engineering, science, design, humanities, and management disciplines with 540 full-time faculty members and approximately 9000 students. In addition to formal undergraduate and postgraduate courses, the institute has been active in research and development in areas of value to both industry and government. For more information, visit www.iitk.ac.in

Kymeta™ Announces Commercial Availability of its Next-Generation Antenna, Terminal, and Services Making Mobile Global

Kymeta (www.kymetacorp.com)—the communications company making mobile global—announced that the Kymeta™ u8 and Kymeta Connect™ are available for government and commercial purchase after November 30, 2020, unlocking the potential of broadband satellite connectivity and cellular networks to satisfy the overwhelming demand for communications on the move.

Kymeta’s next-generation solutions are built for mobility and designed to meet the needs of global defense agencies, government, first responders, and commercial customers. Kymeta’s products and services have been field deployed for three years and the demand for the Kymeta u8 presales has already exceeded expectations. With the introduction of the Kymeta u8, the company has meaningfully increased antenna throughput and significantly reduced the total cost of ownership. Kymeta’s new products and services offer a breakthrough in performance, ease of use, and affordability, and it anticipates that these solutions will further enhance its position in both commercial and government markets, further increasing its lead over competitive offerings. 

“Government and military need the most reliable and seamless connectivity to safely fulfill their missions,” said Walter Berger, Kymeta President, and COO. “These men and women often go to the most remote or disaster-stricken areas of the world, and they need reliable communications to rescue lives, keep property safe, and complete missions. Our government, military, and commercial customers trust Kymeta solutions. The enhanced performance of the u8 is helping our customers make fast, easy, and reliable mission-critical communications on the move a reality." 

The launch of Kymeta’s next-generation solutions builds on the successful deployment of our beta program earlier this year to facilitate real-world testing. The testing demonstrated throughputs of over 45Mbps in land mobile environment with large scan-off angles of over 50 degrees, which is a remarkable achievement for such a low power (<150W) electronically steered antenna platform. The u8 was tested in regions around the world including North America, APAC, and Europe, in a variety of conditions confirming that the product can be operated with confidence even under the most trying scenarios. 

“My team works in some of the most densely populated, rugged, and steep forest terrain in the U.S.,” said Tim Dunfee, Deputy Forest Fire Chief, U.S. Forest Service. “There are places across our varied terrain that have been engulfed by fires and communications cell towers that have been destroyed, causing loss of all communications. When we tested Kymeta’s solutions, we could use FaceTime and make voice calls for the first time. We now have a Kymeta antenna installed on one of our vehicles and deploy it to every forest fire because we know it has reliable communications wherever it goes.”

The Kymeta u8 covers the full Ku-band and is designed to be LEO upgradeable. The u8 is available as an antenna, an ODU (with no modem), and a turnkey terminal with embedded satellite modem, cellular modem, and SD-WAN capabilities. The Kymeta terminals are easy to set up and they acquire service within minutes of being powered. Also coming soon is a transportable configuration called the u8 GO, which is ideal for rapid deployments. The u8 GO will enable safe transport with a hardened case for protection and provides a built-in car mount to support easy operations on the pause and on the move.

Combining the u8 with Kymeta’s hybrid satellite-cellular connectivity services, Kymeta Connect transforms the purchase and consumption of mobile data delivering a complete end-to-end solution with a best-in-industry customer experience. The all-inclusive hybrid satellite-cellular connectivity, global support, and network services package start at $999 per month. 

Kymeta Connect is powered by a virtual architecture consisting of an operational stack that connects remote terminals to managed satellite and cellular services, integrates a state-of-the-art digital back office for service and subscription management, and includes an operations and care element to deliver an excellent customer experience. These services are augmented with a unique application called Access which simplifies the control, management, and monitoring of all hardware and connectivity solutions. The newly announced app is available for download through the Apple and Google Play stores. Today, Kymeta Access can be used on a tablet or through a web-based portal to interact with hardware, data, customer care, and subscription services.

 

Kymeta expects to further accelerate its new product development and commercialization of its next-generation solutions and looks forward to sharing more in 2021.

About Kymeta 

Kymeta is unlocking the potential of broadband satellite connectivity, combined with cellular networks, to satisfy the overwhelming demand for comms on the move and making mobile global. Lepton Global Solutions, a Kymeta company, hosts the company’s satellite connectivity solutions and offers unique, complete, and turnkey bundled solutions to the market based on best in class technologies and tailored customer-centric services that meet and exceed customer mission requirements. These solutions in tandem with the company’s flat-panel satellite antenna, the first of its kind, and Kymeta Connect™ services provide revolutionary mobile connectivity on satellite and hybrid satellite-cellular networks to customers around the world. Backed by U.S. and international patents and licenses, the Kymeta terminal addresses the need for lightweight, slim, and high-throughput communication systems that do not require mechanical components to steer toward a satellite. Kymeta makes connecting easy – for any vehicle, vessel, or fixed platform. 

Kymeta is a privately held company based in Redmond, Washington. 

For more information, visit kymetacorp.com.

 

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Isotropic Systems Signs Contract with SES GS to Initiate Multi-Orbit Trials of Next-Gen Multi-beam Antenna Technologies for U.S. Military

SES Government Solutions (SES GS), a fully-owned affiliate of SES, and Isotropic Systems, a leading developer of transformational broadband terminal technologies, today announced a two-phased antenna evaluation contract with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, working in close collaboration with the U.S. Army Research Engineering Team, for tests of Isotropic Systems’ multi-beam terminal over SES’s O3b Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) constellation to ultimately unleash next-gen connectivity across the battlefield.

It is the first customer contract between Isotropic Systems and SES Government Solutions and follows on from the significant developmental partnership currently ongoing between the two companies to produce scalable, cost-effective terminals capable of providing government, military, and commercial access to the existing O3b constellation and the groundbreaking O3b mPOWER system set to launch late next year.

The U.S. Air Force and Army, through the innovative Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet (DEUCSI) program, will review a prototype of Isotropic Systems’ optical beamforming antenna and its ability to connect simultaneously with two satellite constellations at GEO and MEO. The unique multi-beam capability will enable the armed forces to deliver data at the tactical edge by leveraging capacity from multiple commercial satellites and a military satellite over a single antenna platform.

First phase over-the-air (OTA) is scheduled to be completed by early fall, followed by the phase two in early 2021 where the Isotropic Systems optical lens technology will be utilized to demonstrate a two full performance beam connection. One beam will link with an SES geostationary (GEO) satellite, while another full performance optical beam will establish a simultaneous connection with SES’s O3b MEO satellite constellation.

The biggest user of satellite capacity in the world, the U.S. Department of Defense, is exploring new ways to more effectively and efficiently utilize both existing and new capacity coming online in GEO, MEO and LEO orbits. Isotropic Systems’ optical multi-beam terminals bring key advantages to government markets, including the flexibility to meet performance, cost, and power consumption requirements specific to defense.

"As we get ready for the launch of our O3b mPOWER MEO constellation and SES-17 GEO satellite late next year, it is vital that we work with the U.S. Government to better understand their requirements, and to partner with companies like Isotropic Systems to help us meet those needs," said Pete Hoene, President and CEO of SES Government Solutions. "The Isotropic antenna will deliver high throughput, at low latency over a MEO constellation with simultaneous resilient GEO capacity. This will be a game-changer for the U.S. Army. These collaborative trials with the U.S. Army Research Engineering Team and the Air Force bring commercial ingenuity to the men and women in uniform and the U.S. Government as a whole."

“Isotropic Systems’ collaborative tests with SES Government Solutions in support of the U.S. military is an important milestone on our roadmap leading to a multi-beam, multi-frequency terminal that allows the government and armed forces to utilize every bit of capacity in the sky,” said Scott Sprague, Chief Commercial Officer of Isotropic Systems. “That is the ultimate goal for the defense market, which is currently grappling with disparate networks to deliver connectivity to the battlespace.”


About SES Government Solutions

SES Government Solutions (SES GS) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of global satellite operator SES. SES GS operates under a proxy board allowing them to provide services through contracts with the U.S. Government, including classified work. SES GS is exclusively focused on meeting the satellite communications needs of the U.S. Government. Leveraging more than four decades of experience in the government SATCOM market, SES Government Solutions offers robust and secure end-to-end satellite communications solutions. Further information can be found at www.ses-gs.com

About SES

SES has a bold vision to deliver amazing experiences everywhere on earth by distributing the highest quality video content and providing seamless connectivity around the world. As the leader in global content connectivity solutions, SES operates the world’s only multi-orbit constellation of satellites with the unique combination of global coverage and high performance, including the commercially-proven, low-latency Medium Earth Orbit O3b system. By leveraging a vast and intelligent, cloud-enabled network, SES is able to deliver high-quality connectivity solutions anywhere on land, at sea or in the air, and is a trusted partner to the world’s leading telecommunications companies, mobile network operators, governments, connectivity and cloud service providers, broadcasters, video platform operators and content owners. SES’s video network carries over 8,300 channels and has an unparalleled reach of 367 million households, delivering managed media services for both linear and non-linear content. The company is listed on Paris and Luxembourg stock exchanges (Ticker: SESG). Further information is available at: www.ses.com.

About Isotropic Systems

Isotropic Systems is developing the world’s first multi-service, high-bandwidth, low power, fully integrated high throughput terminals designed to support the satellite industry to 'reach beyond' traditional markets and acquire new customers with a full suite of high throughput services. The company’s team of industry experts and scientists has pioneered several firsts in satellite terminal design resulting in a line of terminals that are customizable to meet the performance, cost and power requirements of countless applications – from the most complex government defense systems and mobile backhaul solutions capable of extending 5G, to next-gen connected experiences aboard commercial airliners, cruise ships, offshore rigs, and even small fishing boats at sea. Isotropic Systems’ Series A funding was led by Boeing to advance space-based connectivity. Further information is available at www.isotropicsystems.com


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