Building 4G Wireless Connectivity - The WINNER Project

Dr. Halim Yanikomeroglu, a researcher in Systems and Computer Engineering at Carleton University, was a key player in WINNER (Wireless World Initiative New Radio), a groundbreaking FP7 research consortium that was formed from 2004 to 2007. Their aim was to create a single, comprehensive radio system that would encompass all communications environments and significantly improve the efficiency of wireless communications.

WINNER was conducted over three years and included 40 partners. Most of them were from European countries, along with two Chinese partners. Carleton University was the only Canadian partner.

“This was very good for Canada to distinguish itself,” says Dr. Yanikomeroglu. Three Carleton researchers were involved in the project, and they received funding from NSERC totalling $650,000. The project developed international standards for wireless broadband connectivity. This technology is standardized in “generations” – currently, we are using third generation mobile devices. This project provides the basis for the fourth generation.

“‘Cell phone’ is a bit of a misleading term,” he explains. “This is a thing of the past. What we’re talking about now is wireless broadband connectivity. Voice communication is only a small piece of that.”

Dr. Yanikomeroglu’s vision for the future of wireless connectivity is that it will provide opportunities for e-learning to communities globally. He says there is a great benefit of these technologies for less fortunate parts of the world.

Carleton University, according to Dr.Yanikomeroglu, was one of the most valuable contributors to the project and this was globally recog

nized. Because of this project, Dr. Yanikomeroglu received two separate international grants, from Samsung and Huawei, together equalling several hundred thousand dollars. “Getting funding to Canada is not that easy,” states Dr. Yanikomeroglu, who is proud to have been able to inject this grant money into the Canadian economy.

He states that there were many benefits to working with European partners. He was able to strengthen his relationships with the many European colleagues, and received two Postdoctoral Fellows from Europe, one of whom is now working with him under an FP7 grant, which will allow this Fellow to spend two years in Canada and another working in Spain. He felt that Carleton University, and Canada’s reputation were improved on the international stage.

Prof. David Falconer, one of the other researchers from Carleton involved in the project, was a principal investigator on the FP6 project. “There were global standards developed that featured an important item from his work. We are very proud of him,” says Dr. Yanikomeroglu.

Dr. Yanikomeroglu is now at the proposal development stage and helping to build an international consortium for the next project, to be proposed under the next Framework Programme.

“My participation in FP6 was one of the biggest achievements of my career,” he expressed. “It created visibility on the international scale and many opportunities.”