Summer 2017 6 Sensor Networks, Smart Cities and the Future of Connected 5G Wireless W ireless technologies have never been more vital to our society than they are today. From the smartphones in our pockets, to personal wearable devices and even our home appliances, the technology we use each day is becoming ever more interconnected and self-sustained. With intelligent infrastructure and 5G wireless networks quickly becoming a reality, Canada’s information and communication technologies industry is set to expand rapidly over the next decade, with researchers from Carleton University’s Faculty of Engineering and Design helping to lay the groundwork for what lies just beyond the horizon. Leading innovator and professor in Carleton’s School of Information Technology, Richard Yu, has dedicated his career to improving the efficiency and effectiveness of wireless cellular networks. Specializing in diverse aspects of network development, such as resource allocation and protocol software, his research is being used to help deploy the ultra-high-speed 5G wireless networks that will power the Internet of Things (IoT), connected and autonomous vehicles, and more. “From IoT to driverless cars, wireless networks represent the backbone upon which intelligent infrastructure is supported,” Yu explains. “They have become fundamental in developing advanced connected technologies.” Having recently received $600,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) through a Strategic Partnership Grant, Yu seeks to enhance 5G communication networks, which are up to 100 times faster than current 4G or LTE networks. He also looks to improve 5G integration into new and emerging technologies as more devices become connected to the internet. “The number of devices that support network connectivity continues to grow every day,” he says. “That trend will only continue to increase and require additional backend support from Canada’s fast-growing information and communication technologies industry.” With 13 U.S. states having already passed legislation regarding the use of autonomous vehicles and 33 states having introduced similar legislation in the first six months of 2017 alone, major auto manufactures, along with tech giants such as Google, have begun to ramp up their autonomous vehicle capabilities south of the INTELLIGENT INFRASTRUCTURE Summer 2017