Future communications technologies

Supporting the roll out and practical use of new communication technologies

Rapid advances in technology are driving demand for high-bandwidth instrumentation, systems, sources and circuits, leading to an increase in calibration and traceability requirements. With over 20 years experience in ultrafast measurements, we provide measurement solutions in communications, broadcasting and many areas of electronics, optics and computing where there are demanding requirements.

We offer the characterisation of short electrical and optical pulses, new types of test instrumentation and the calibration of fast electrical pulse generators and high-bandwidth oscilloscopes. The work is carried out by highly skilled scientists use fully traceable techniques, and they can offer advice and consultancy as well.

Whether it is wearable devices, Internet of Things, Internet of Space, biometrics or connected autonomous vehicles, we are developing new metrology for these emerging applications. We cover both measurements relating to individual components or subsystems and whole system performance and our main research areas are:

• Accurate measurement and characterisation of communications waveforms
• Ultrafast pulse measurement service which provides support to some of the above areas
• Theoretical and experimental aspects of wireless, optical and antenna systems.
• Signal propagation and interference
• Measurements of digital waveform parameters such as jitter and EVM, Bit-Error-Rate (BER)

Find out more about NPL's Electromagnetic measurements on materials service

Find out more about NPL's Measurement of Specific Absorption Rate service

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