University of York (Communication Technologies Research Group)

Communication is no longer just between humans face-to-face or at a distance, but is increasingly between devices and systems, delivering new interactive applications and services.

Our research addresses the complementary areas of communication systems, wireless transmission, acoustic and audio signal processing and applied electromagnetics and devices.

Our work is underpinned by world-class facilities including:

• a radio communications lab, with software radio devices and anechoic chamber
• an electromagnetics lab with reverberation chamber
• a full six-sided acoustically anechoic chamber
• an interactive multi-channel loudspeaker listening room
• a standards-compliant listening space
• Helikite tethered aerial platforms wireless testbed
• three professional recording studios

Application areas

• 5G Ultra-High Capacity Systems
• High Altitude Platforms
• Underwater Networks
• Virtual Acoustic Environments
• Electromagnetic Compatibility

Research Capability Areas

• Communication Systems and Protocols
• Signals and Waveforms
• Applied Electromagnetics and Devices
• Audio and Acoustics

The Group is made up of over 75 staff, postgraduate research students and visitors, and has an international reputation. Also, associated with the group is the York-Zhejiang Lab for Cognitive Communications and Green Radio, formed as joint venture between University of York and Zhejiang University and Centre for High Altitude Platform Applications.

In recent years it has held a diverse portfolio of grants funded by MOD, EPSRC, European Framework and industry.  It coordinated the €5.9M European FP6 CAPANINA project, which investigated broadband communications from aerial platforms, and included trials from a tethered aerostat, a stratospheric balloon, and a high altitude platform (HAP). CRG has extensive international connections, with formal memorandums of agreement with both academia and industry. It has a long history in participation in COST actions.