MITRE Team: Defni Abur, Hiwot Kassaye, Rumbi Vushe
2013-2014: In collaboration with the MITRE Corporation, this student team designed a radar and signal processing system to provide aiming information for a mosquito-zapping laser in malaria-prone areas.
The radar system was designed to be ground-based and deployed close to a mosquito breeding area. Low energy consumption was a primary concern due to cost restrictions and the need to deploy in remote areas. The range equation was employed to understand the influence of each design parameter on power and on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). From study of previous research, the ideal SNR to maximize probability of detection was determined to be 13.2 dB. Optimal parameters for the Blake Chart were determined and justified. The transmission power of the recommended design can be supplied for a year using six typical car batteries.
The deliverables of this project included 1) a final report detailing the design process and outcomes 2) a Blake Chart with discussion and justification of parameters, and 3) preliminary analysis of data processing for detection and tracking using a Kalman filter to improve accuracy.