Bertarelli Foundation of Neuroprosthetic Technology

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An All-Digital 1.25 Mbps 5-Subcarrier OFDM Backscatter Uplink with Delta-Sigma Modulation for Improved Spurious-Free Dynamic Range

James Daniel Rosenthal

This paper describes an all-digital backscatter modulation approach leveraging delta-sigma modulation (DSM) to improve the in-channel spectral characteristics of orthogonal frequency division multiplexed (OFDM) backscatter communication. We demonstrate through numerical simulations and experimental validation that DSM can improve the spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR) of OFDM subcarriers generated by a low-resolution impedance digital-to-analog converter (DAC), such as an RF switch having two or four different impedance states. We present the design and validation of a prototype OFDM backscatter uplink with DSM implemented with all-digital logic in an FPGA. A single-pole-four-throw CMOS RF switch (i.e. 2-bits of impedance DAC resolution) serves as the backscatter modulator. We experimentally validated the DSM approach with a 2.4 GHz, five-subcarrier OFDM backscatter uplink and a four-times oversampling DSM at up to 1.25 Mbps. In this scenario, the DSM improved the SFDR by 43 dB within the subcarrier band while reducing the overall noise floor in the same band by 11.3 dB. These results confirm that a DSM approach can be used to control quantization noise and improve the spectral characteristics of low-resolution digital impedance modulators for backscatter communication in scenarios where in-channel SFDR is more important than wideband noise performance.

IEEE2022

We present an all-digital application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that implements Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)-compatible backscatter communication. The ASIC was fabricated in a 65 nm CMOS process and occupies an active area of 0.12 mm(2) while consuming a total of 205 mu W DC power from 0.48 V and 1 V supplies. Of the total power consumption, 56% (115 mu W) is consumed by the digital logic, 16% (33 mu W) by the on-chip clock oscillator, and 28% (57 mu W) by the RF switch used as a backscatter modulator. The ASIC broadcasts up to 1000 BLE advertising packets per second at a data rate of 1 Mbps, yielding a backscatter modulator efficiency of 57 pJ/bit. The device was validated in both cabled and wireless (over-the-air) measurement setups, demonstrating compatibility with unmodified smartphones as well as commercially available BLE chips, such as the Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822. With the wireless test setup used in this work, and assuming a +10 dBm carrier source, the ASIC has a theoretical maximum read range of 4.9 m using a smartphone as the receiver. Building from previous work in BLE backscatter communication using FPGA-based prototypes, this work provides an important quantitative demonstration of the size and power savings that can be achieved in a BLE-compatible backscatter ASIC.

IEEE2022

Robots are employed to assist humans in lengthy, challenging, and repetitive tasks. However, the fields of rehabilitation, haptics, and assistive robotics have shown a significant need to support and interact with people in their everyday life. To facilitate these further needs, robots must overcome constraints in compactness, degrees of freedom (DoF), and mechanical performance. However, developing a robot with these characteristics is challenging for conventional mechanics. First, creating a meso-scale device requires the assembly of small components, which is laborious and increases manufacturing cost, time, and complexity. In addition, devices with several DoF and functionalities also require more parts to create numerous links and joints, actuators, and thus space, affecting the compactness of systems. Finally, aiming for mechanical performance in terms of force, speed, and motion range requires transmissions or bulky actuators, which also influence the size of the system. This thesis attempts to overcome the limitations of conventional mechanics by using origami robots, an alternative design approach for creating meso-scale structures with numerous folding joints. It consists in stacking layers of functional material to achieve low-profile and scalable structures that fold into 3D. Using this method, we developed three hybrid robots combining the decades of experience of conventional mechanics with the advantages of origami robotics. First, to enhance the performances of robots at the meso-scale, the creation of compact low-profile compliant transmissions benefiting from origami's minimal assembly of functional layers was explored. The transmissions obtained can reproduce conventional kinematics or generate unconventional motions using materials properties. Second, the development of multi-DoF compact robots was studied using the aforementioned low-profile compliant transmissions to create a multi-functional structure. The resulting robot is a fingertip haptic device called Haptigami that can render vibrotactile and three-DoF force feedback without compromising bulkiness. Then, this study aimed at creating a meso-scale, multi-DoF, and mechanically efficient robot. We combined the previous device contributions and developed Flexure Variable Stiffness Actuators (F-VSA), a novel compliant actuator that uses the origami flexure hinges' inherent stiffness to avoid hindering mechanical simplicity. Finally, we developed a software architecture that enables high-level control of the human-robot hardware and is compatible with multiple simulation engines. We used this architecture to control our robots and provide feedback to the user, based on interactions in a virtual environment. These novel robots rely on non-conventional structures, actuators, and kinematics that require exploring and testing suitable control strategies. Hence, kinematic and stiffness models were developed and used to tune the position, force, and stiffness of the end-effector. Several characterization platforms and experimental protocols suitable for testing our unique robotic systems were also developed to assess their precision and efficiency. Consequently, the results of this study pave the way for the development of robots that adapt to multiple environments, interactions, and application scenarios, compatible with the human bandwidth without hindering the user's motion and comfort in everyday life.

EPFL2022