Partnership to improve mobile phone technology

A new partnership between USQ and a leading Chinese university is set to enhance wireless communications technology.

USQ will work collaboratively with the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications (BUPT), on research that will look at improving real-time video communications over wireless relay networks.

The collaboration has received the tick of approval from the Australian government after receiving $42,000 worth of funding from the Department of Education, Science and Training (DEST) under the Australia-China Special Fund for Scientific and Technological Cooperation component of the International Science Linkages (ISL) Programme.

'The partnership started after I visited BUPT in December last year and we talked about possibly working together,' USQ Engineering and Surveying lecturer Dr Wei Xiang said.

'BUPT is one of the best universities in China in telecommunication and their size and facilities are very impressive.

'Current mobile technology doesn’t allow DVD quality video phone calls on your mobile phone, so together through this research we want to make this possible and also reliable and cost effective.'

Titled Cross-Layer Design of Wireless Relay Networks for Real-Time Video Communications, Dr Xiang said that the project would showcase the strengths of both universities.

'This research represents technology breakthrough in the area of wireless video communications. It aims to optimise wireless relay networks globally as opposed to the traditional separate optimisation paradigm,' he said.

'We have the key enabling technology here at USQ and they have the man power and facilities.

'In the Wireless Theories & Technologies Laboratory at BUPT they have 40 research students and over 100 full-time staff.

'With the support of Qualcomm, who are a major player in the telecommunications field, we feel that this project represents a revolution in terms of technology and innovation.'

Those involved in the research are also hopeful that the results of the collaboration will be felt by the common mobile phone user.

'At the moment low quality video phone calls are possible but they cost two or three dollars per minute for people who want to use the feature,' Dr Xiang said.

'This is too much for the average user and we want to reduce this cost and improve the quality of service.'

DEST funding for the project is set to be available from 2008, with the partners hopeful that the research will be completed by 2010.

Media Contact: Josh Ada, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1628