Seminar

Seminar - Dr. Faycal Saffih

Phil Regier — Thu, 14 Jul 2016 14:41:32 +0000

Seminar - Dr. Faycal Saffih Phil Regier Thu, 07/14/2016 - 10:41

Speaker

Dr. Faycal Saffih

Topic

Intelligence Design (ID): From System to Circuit to Device Implementations

Abstract

In this talk we present the development of intelligence (vs intelligent) implementations from top-down and bottom-up approaches and from Electrical engineering design and Biological Biomimicry to Solid-state Physics prediction. Inspired by the Human Visual System, we postulated that intelligent vision requires embedding intelligence at the image signal acquisition and along the path to the visual cortex and beyond when involving image recall and pattern recognition. A feedback loop of this path might be deemed necessary if a full fetched image understanding and “intelligence extraction” is required. To start the above path, Smart CMOS imaging was chosen as the application of choice where multi-disciplinary research tracks need to interact suggesting a novel approach for research to design intelligent imaging system. We will provide our experience of this endeavor hoping to inspire other researchers to continue this promising track to build Artificial Intelligent Imaging (AI2) systems for a wide variety of applications where human vision needs assistance from an intelligent imaging system for biomedical, automotive and security applications to name a few.

Biography

Dr. Faycal Saffih (IEEE Member since 2000) received the B.Sc. (with Best Honors) degree in Solid-State Physics from the University of Sétif-1, Sétif, Algeria, in 1996, the M.Sc. degree in Digital Neural networks from Physics Department, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in 1998, and the Ph.D. degree in Smart CMOS Imaging from Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, ��ݮ��Ƶ, ON, Canada. Taking a decade journey between academia and industry, Dr. Saffih enriched his experience multi- dimensionally spanning Microelectronics from devices up-to systems, and industry from R&D department to Entrepreneurship start-up, all of which from West USA (OR) to Singapore’s prestigious A*star Agency for Science, Technology and Research. Recently, Dr. Saffih endeavored into renewable energy research and business starting from Stanford certification in 2013 and currently undertaking an Online program from Renewables Academy (RENAC), Germany. Dr. Faycal Saffih is currently on the faculty of the Electrical Engineering Department of the UAE University and a regular visiting scholar at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ, University of Alberta among others. His research is on intelligence extraction and implementation on devices and systems particularly smart CMOS image sensors.

Seminar - Professor Bram Nauta, University of Twente

Phil Regier — Thu, 05 May 2016 13:50:05 +0000

Seminar - Professor Bram Nauta, University of Twente Phil Regier Thu, 05/05/2016 - 09:50

Title

Circuit Techniques for Next-Generation Wireless Communication

Speaker

Professor Bram Nauta, University of Twente

Abstract

Due to the increase of wireless standards using different RF frequencies there is a need to have transceivers that can handle a wide range of RF frequencies. By abandoning the classical narrowband approach, new receiver architectures are explored in which noise and interferer robustness problems have to be solved. At the same time new features are wanted such as spectrum sensing for cognitive radio and self-interference cancelling for future full duplex communication. In this presentation several circuit and system techniques will be illustrated that may enable future radio systems.

Biography

Bram Nauta received the M.Sc and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Twente, Enschede, the Netherlands. In 1991 he joined Philips Research, Eindhoven, and in 1998 he returned to the University of Twente. He is currently a distinguished professor, heading the IC Design group. Bram is an IEEE Fellow and has served as the Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits and as program chair of the International Solid State Circuits Conference (ISSCC). Since 2016 he is Vice-President of the IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society.

Seminar - Dr. Earl McCune - The Physics of OFDM

Phil Regier — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 18:34:08 +0000

Seminar - Dr. Earl McCune - The Physics of OFDM Phil Regier Thu, 09/24/2015 - 14:34

Speaker

Dr Earl McCune, Visiting Faculty, TU Delft

Topic

The Physics of OFDM

Abstract

Orthogonal Frequency Division Modulation (OFDM) is an extremely revolutionary signal technology that actually is poorly understood by both academia and industry. Academia appears to not understand how revolutionary this signal actually is, and what the corresponding physical difficulties of its implementation are. On the industrial side, there is a general misunderstanding of the economic consequences of building hardware needed to generate and receive an OFDM signal, along with the problems that it solves and creates. In my entire career I have never encountered a signal type that has such a bimodal interest distribution – some adherents love it, and there are others who cannot loathe it more. The best way to examine this situation is to build up OFDM technology from first physical principles, in order to clearly understand what OFDM is, and isn’t.

Speaker's biography

Earl received his Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees at UC Berkeley, Stanford, and UC Davis respectively. His experience in RF circuits, signals, and systems goes back more than 40 years. Within this career he has founded two Silicon Valley startups; the first one doing modulated direct digital frequency synthesis in 1986 and merged with Proxim in 1991. The second start-up, Tropian, did switch-based efficient RF transmitters from 1996 and was acquired by Panasonic 10 years later. He retired from Panasonic in 2008 as a Corporate Technology Fellow. He now serves as visiting faculty at TU Delft.

Seminar - Dr. Earl McCune - Silicon Valley Style: Project Operations in the Presence of Extreme Risk

Phil Regier — Thu, 24 Sep 2015 18:28:54 +0000

Seminar - Dr. Earl McCune - Silicon Valley Style: Project Operations in the Presence of Extreme Risk Phil Regier Thu, 09/24/2015 - 14:28

Speaker

Dr Earl McCune, Visiting Faculty, TU Delft

Topic

Silicon Valley Style: Project Operations in the Presence of Extreme Risk

Abstract

The name ‘Silicon Valley’ is often synonymous with innovation and technology. This is not an accident, because the style developed in Silicon Valley is unusual in that it embraces project risks and uses them as tools. This impacts not only project organization, but also how teams and businesses are structured. A partnership between business operations and technologists is fundamental to the success of this model: neither is superior to the other.

Speaker's biography

ECE Seminar: Aging without dementia: How can AI help?

Andrea Pinos — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 19:19:28 +0000

ECE Seminar: Aging without dementia: How can AI help? Andrea Pinos Thu, 07/03/2025 - 15:19

Speaker: Dr. Mohamed Elmasry, Professor Emeritus

Time: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Location: EIT 3142

All are welcome!

Abstract:

Dementia is a growing health concern in Canada as the population ages. While the average lifespan is approximately 80 years, the average healthspan is only 65 years, leaving many seniors affected by chronic conditions—including dementia.

Artificial intelligence (AI) offers promising tools for the early detection of dementia and, more importantly, can empower individuals at any age to reduce their risk through informed lifestyle changes.

Speaker:

Dr. Mohamed Elmasry, FRSC, FIEEE, FCAE, FEIC, is a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ.

A globally recognized expert in Artificial Neural Networks, Dr. Elmasry brings over 50 years of research experience to the field. He is also a member of the International Group on AI Safety.

At 81, he continues to contribute actively to scholarly discourse and is the author of two recent books:

iMind: Artificial and Real Intelligence (Routledge, August 2024), currently being translated into Chinese.
Dementia: Evidence-Based Lifestyle Guidelines (B&N, March 2025), co-authored with Kareem Bannis, MD.

Invited Seminar: Advanced Load Pull Techniques for mmWave: Vectorial Methods, Wideband Solutions, and Noise Parameter Extraction

Andrea Pinos — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 17:31:56 +0000

Invited Seminar: Advanced Load Pull Techniques for mmWave: Vectorial Methods, Wideband Solutions, and Noise Parameter Extraction Andrea Pinos Fri, 06/27/2025 - 13:31

Speaker: Dr. Sajjad Ahmed, Director Sales and Business Development, Focus Microwaves

Date: July 3, 2025

Time: 10:00am to 1:00pm

Location: EIT 3142

Invited by: Dr. Slim Boumaiza

All are welcome!

Abstract:

This talk will concentrate on load pull measurement techniques, with a focus on vectorial load pull methods for mmWave frequencies. We will examine the differences and applications of passive, hybrid, and active load pull techniques, emphasizing their roles in advanced measurement scenarios. Additionally, we will review the effectiveness, performance, challenges, and integration capabilities of hot wideband load pull solutions. The discussion will conclude with an overview of noise parameter extraction methods and an analysis of their measurement uncertainties.

Biography:

Dr. Sajjad Ahmed earned his Master's in Electronics from the University of Gavle, Sweden, in 2008, and his Ph.D. in Electronics from the University of Limoges in 2012. He is currently the Director of Sales and Business Development at Focus Microwaves, bringing extensive expertise in RF and microwave testing, specializing in non-linear device characterization, load pull techniques, and advanced semiconductor testing at RF/microwave frequencies. He has authored and co-authored multiple journal and conference publications, and he was the recipient of the Outstanding Paper Award for 2014, in the field of optical and laser-based techniques, from the journal Measurement Science and Technology.

Invited Seminar: Maximizing RF and Microwave Performance: The Critical Role of Cable, Connector, and Instrument Care

Andrea Pinos — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 14:44:05 +0000

Invited Seminar: Maximizing RF and Microwave Performance: The Critical Role of Cable, Connector, and Instrument Care Andrea Pinos Thu, 06/26/2025 - 10:44

Abstract:

This seminar begins with a brief overview of transmission line theory. We then explore various grades and types of connectors and adapters, followed by the importance of proper connector care, cleaning practices, and correct connection techniques. Next, we focus on coaxial cable care, covering different types of coaxials and tips for extending their lifespan. Finally, we touch on instrument care and simple procedures to assess instrument health.

Biography:

Dr. Aidin Taeb is an RF/Microwave and Quantum Solution Engineer at Keysight Technologies, supporting customers across the GTA, ��ݮ��Ƶ, and Western Canada. He joined Keysight in 2019 and specializes in advanced measurement solutions spanning DC to terahertz frequencies.

He earned his PhD in electrical and computer engineering from the University of ��ݮ��Ƶ in 2015. Following his doctoral studies, he served as a technical manager at the Centre for Intelligent Antenna and Radio Systems (CIARS), where he worked on cutting-edge research in microwave, millimeter-wave, and antenna technologies. Aidin has extensive experience in high-frequency measurements, Over-the-Air (OTA) testing, millimeter-wave 5G/6G communications, and material characterization. His role at Keysight involves working closely with researchers.

MASc Seminar Notice: Design, Fabrication, and Testing of Graphene Oxide-Based Biosensing Platforms for Market Optimization

Andrea Pinos — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:56:50 +0000

MASc Seminar Notice: Design, Fabrication, and Testing of Graphene Oxide-Based Biosensing Platforms for Market Optimization Andrea Pinos Tue, 06/24/2025 - 10:56

Candidate: Alex Xu

Date: July 2, 2025

Time: 3:00pm

Location: online (Teams)

Supervisor: Dr. Mustafa Yavuz

All are welcome!

Abstract:
Timely and accurate disease diagnosis remains a cornerstone of effective healthcare delivery, but many current diagnostic tools, such as PCR and ELISA, require centralized laboratory infrastructure, trained personnel, and extensive processing times. These constraints limit their accessibility and scalability, especially in resource-limited settings. Biosensors offer a promising alternative; providing rapid, label-free detection with potential for point-of-care deployment. However, despite extensive academic research, most biosensor platforms struggle to transition beyond proof-of-concept due to fabrication complexity, low yield, and limited integration into scalable systems.

This thesis explores two nanomaterial-based strategies designed to address these challenges. First, I use femtosecond laser ablation to fabricate a reduced graphene oxide and gold nanocomposite substrate for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Using a 24-mer DNA sequence as a target analyte, this platform achieves a limit of detection (LOD) of 10-7 M. Compared to conventional colloidal SERS substrates, this nanocomposite demonstrates improved hotspot distribution and substrate uniformity, indicating its promise for scalable nucleic acid detection.

Second, I investigate boron nitride–doped reduced graphene oxide field-effect transistor (FET) biosensors, focusing on device yield and fabrication reproducibility. Across multiple batches of devices, I identify failure modes including fabrication inconsistencies, gel synthesis variability, and passivation requirements. By analyzing these trends and benchmarking our device performance against current market diagnostic tools for COVID-19, I propose practical modifications to enhance reliability and consistency.

Together, these projects emphasize how using laser ablation to synthesize defect-engineered graphene materials can be leveraged to advance biosensor platforms from experimental prototypes toward viable diagnostic technologies. By emphasizing fabrication scalability, electrical reliability, and molecular sensitivity, this work contributes to the growing effort to align high-performance biosensing with real-world applicability.

MASc Seminar Notice: Performance Analysis of Zero-Forcing Beamforming Strategies for the Uplink and Downlink of MU-MIMO Systems with Multi-Antenna Users

Andrea Pinos — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 13:38:07 +0000

MASc Seminar Notice: Performance Analysis of Zero-Forcing Beamforming Strategies for the Uplink and Downlink of MU-MIMO Systems with Multi-Antenna Users Andrea Pinos Fri, 06/13/2025 - 09:38

Candidate: Joao Paulo Pinto Galdino Marques
Date: June 17, 2025
Time: 1:30pm
Location: EIT 3145
Supervisor: Catherine Rosenberg
All are welcome!

Abstract:

MU-MIMO systems provide high performance through the transmission of multiple data streams to users (resp. from users) on the Downlink (DL) (resp. Uplink (UL)) at the same frequency and time. Multiple antennas at the users can further improve performance by using the multiple antennas to create one strong data stream or to create several independent data streams per user. To achieve the potential of MU-MIMO systems with Multi-Antenna (MA) users, the Radio Resource Management (RRM) processes must be carefully executed. The necessary RRM processes are stream selection, Beamforming (BF), power management and Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) selection. We consider Zero-Forcing (ZF) BF that nullifies inter-stream interference. There are three primary ZF BF strategies based on the number of data streams used per scheduled user: Coordinated-Transmit-Receive-1 (CTR1) that uses exactly one stream per user (the strongest), Block Diagonalization (BD) that uses all possible streams per user, and Coordinated-Transmit-Receive-Flexible (CTRF), which allows a flexible stream allocation per user. CTRF can offer enhanced performance, but at the cost of higher complexity compared to the other strategies.

In this work, we conduct novel studies to evaluate the performance of MU-MIMO systems under proportional fairness with BD, CTR1 and CTRF, on the DL and UL in realistic systems characterized by 3GPP-based scenarios where the Base-Station (BS) employs practical MCSs. These studies can guide the design of real-time RRM heuristics. To enable the study on the DL, we employ RRM heuristics from the literature adapted to consider practical systems with MCSs and fairness, whereas we propose the necessary RRM tools for the UL study. The DL and UL results indicate that CTRF outperforms the other strategies regardless of the system parameters and scenarios. However, in some cases, the performance gap is marginal. More specifically, on both the DL and UL, BD performs closely to CTRF for a large number of BS antennas and a few users, but the gap between them widens as the number of users increases. In contrast, the performance disparity between CTR1 and CTRF is small for a large number of users and increases for a large number of BS antennas and a few users. Therefore, despite the superior performance of CTRF, BD or CTR1 could replace it in some cases, given their comparable performance and lower complexity.

PhD Seminar Notice: Digital Agent-Based Resource Management for Short Video Streaming in Multicast Networks

Andrea Pinos — Fri, 23 May 2025 18:54:40 +0000

PhD Seminar Notice: Digital Agent-Based Resource Management for Short Video Streaming in Multicast Networks Andrea Pinos Fri, 05/23/2025 - 14:54

Candidate: Xinyu Huang

Date: May 27, 2025

Time: 10:00 AM

Location: Online - contact the candidate for more information.

Supervisor: Shen, Sherman