Ultra Wideband Technologies and Their Contribution to Homeland Security

Overview The report researches the UWB technology and market landscape by examining the current state of the technology, standards, market and the industry. The study looks to provide a deeper understanding to wide audience UWB specifics, advantages and limitations. It also looks further, until 2010-2011, with market forecast and technology progress. UWB technology includes not only low-power wireless networks linking phones, computers, and televisions without the need for hard-wiring, but, potentially, also cell phones that could help determine a user's location for a 911 emergency operator. With UWB, radio signals can penetrate nearby surfaces while reflecting off surfaces that are farther away. This capability allows radar-type applications to detect objects, such as people or weapons, behind walls or under surfaces, such as a collapsed building. UWB technology also can precisely measure distance and movement to within few inches.

Additional Information

Precision localization systems, based on UWB, locate a person or vehicle by attaching locator beacons that send out signals to receivers so that a precise location can be determined. Beacons could be inserted into pagers, cellular phones, or a vehicle.

This technology could aid emergency responders in locating victims, team members, and medical supply trucks, for example. Unlike GPS, such a localization system could operate indoors, underground, in foliage, in noisy environments, and through bad weather.

Utilizing time-modulated digital pulses, UWB allows the use of very low-powered and relatively inexpensive equipment to broadcast signals at very high rates over a large part of the spectrum. This technology enables the use of public safety devices and wireless communications in areas that suffer from severe multipath and/or high levels of industrial noise and interference. UWB could conceivably be used to provide high-speed Internet access similar to today's wireless modems.

This technology could radically change how national security and emergency preparedness personnel operate in search and rescue efforts and other crisis events.