Wireless communication is the prerequisite for the highly desired in-situ and real-time monitoring capability in underground environments, including oil reservoirs, groundwater aquifers, volcanos, among others . However, existing wireless communication techniques do not work in such environments due to the harsh transmission medium with very high material absorption and the inaccessible nature of underground environment that requires extremely small device size. Although Magnetic Induction ( MI) communication has been shown to be a promising technique in underground environments, the existing MI system utilizes very large coil antennas, which are not suitable for deployment in underground. In this paper, we propose a metamaterial enhanced magnetic induction communication mechanism that can achieve over meter scale communication range by using millimeter scale coil antennasin the harsh underground environment. An analytical channel model for the new mechanism is developed to explore the fundamentals of metamaterial enhanced MI communication in various underground environments. The effects of important system and environmental factors are quantitatively captured, including the operating frequency, bandwidth, and parameters of metamaterial antennas, as well as permittivity, permeability, and conductivity of underground medium . The theoretical model is validated through the finite element simulation software, COMSOL Multiphysics .
Magnetic Induction (MI) communication technique has shown great potentials in complex and RF-challenging environments, such as underground and underwater, due to its advantage over EM wave-based techniques in penetrating lossy medium . However, the transmission distance of MI techniques is limited since magnetic field attenuates very fast in the near field. To this end, this paper proposes Metamaterial-enhanced Magnetic Induction ( M^2I) communication mechanism, where a MI coil antenna is enclosed by a metamaterial shell that can enhance the magnetic fields around the MI transceivers. As a result, the M^2I communication system can achieve tens of meters communication range by using pocket-sized antennas. In this paper, an analytical channel model is developed to explore the fundamentals of the M^2I mechanism, in the aspects of communication range and channel capacity, and the susceptibility to various hostile and complex environments . The theoretical model is validated through the finite element simulation software, Comsol Multiphysics. Proof-of-concept experiments are also conducted to validate the feasibility of M^2I .
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Wireless communication is the prerequisite for the highly desired in-situ and real-time monitoring capability in underground environments, including oil reservoirs, groundwater aquifers, volcanos, among others
Magnetic Induction (MI) communication technique has shown great potentials in complex and RF-challenging environments, such as underground and underwater, due to its advantage over EM wave-based techniques in penetrating lossy medium
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existing wireless communication techniques do not work in such environments due to the harsh transmission medium with very high material absorption and the inaccessible nature of underground environment that requires extremely small device size. Although
the transmission distance of MI techniques is limited since magnetic field attenuates very fast in the near field. To this end, this paper proposes Metamaterial-enhanced
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MI) communication has been shown to be a promising technique in underground environments, the existing MI system utilizes very large coil antennas, which are not suitable for deployment in underground. In this paper, we propose a metamaterial enhanced magnetic induction communication mechanism that can achieve over meter scale
M^2I) communication mechanism, where a MI coil antenna is enclosed by a metamaterial shell that can enhance the magnetic fields around the MI transceivers. As a result, the M^2I communication system can achieve tens of meters
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millimeter scale coil antennasin the harsh underground environment. An
pocket-sized antennas. In this paper, an
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for the new mechanism
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metamaterial enhanced MI communication in various underground environments. The effects of important system and environmental factors are quantitatively captured, including the operating frequency, bandwidth, and parameters of metamaterial antennas, as well as permittivity, permeability, and conductivity of underground medium
the M^2I mechanism, in the aspects of communication range and channel capacity, and the susceptibility to various hostile and complex environments
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COMSOL Multiphysics
Comsol Multiphysics. Proof-of-concept experiments are also conducted to validate the feasibility of M^2I