June 28, 2023
M. Kouhini and Prof. Ronald Freund (from left to right).
Sepideh M. Kouhini, research associate at Fraunhofer Heinrich-Hertz-Institut (HHI), completed her dissertation ‘Integrated Optical Wireless Communication and Positioning by Using Distributed Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO)’ at the Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin) with the final mark “magna cum laude”.
In her doctoral dissertation, Sepideh Kouhini explored integrating communication and localization for LiFi technology by utilizing distributed MIMO topology to enhance the reliability of communication while achieving precise positioning. LiFi refers to mobile transmission with light.
She divided her exploration of this topic into three sections: The first section focuses mainly on using plastic optical fiber as fronthaul for distributed MIMO. The second section investigates various MIMO transmission modes and explores the advantages of angular diversity (sending/receiving in/from different directions) and multiuser multiplexing (simultaneous distributed transmission from/to multiple users). The third section illustrates that the physical transfer layer can be used for positioning. The results show for the first time that LiFi technology can achieve centimeter-level precision through a simple time-of-flight measurement. Conclusively, she was able to demonstrate real-time object tracking using LiFi for slow-moving Automated Guided Vehicles (AGC). This demonstration is publicly available here .
Sepideh M. Kouhini studied electrical engineering in her home country Iran. She received her bachelor and master degrees from Azad Esfahan University and Esfahan University. After graduation, she has participated in several international research projects in universities and research institutes such as APIC and VisIon at the Institute Telecommunication of Aveiro, Portugal, and at OSRAM Innovation in Munich, Germany.
In 2019, she came to Berlin where she started pursuing her PhD at TU Berlin while simultaneously working at Fraunhofer HHI. During the process of choosing a research topic for her dissertation, Sepideh Kouhini became fascinated with the idea of transmitting data via light through wires as well as wireless channels. With her expertise in research on optical fiber, she is also intrigued by the use of light for communication and positioning purposes. At Fraunhofer HHI, she currently works on the 6G-RIC project researching fronthaul concepts based on optical fiber for the next generation of mobile communications in the department “Photonic Networks and Systems”.
The examination board chaired by Prof. Dr.-Ing. Habil. Falko Dressler (TU Berlin) consisted of Prof. Dr.-Ing. Ronald Freund (TU Berlin, Fraunhofer HHI), Prof. Dr. rer. nat. habil. Volker Jungnickel (TU Berlin, Fraunhofer HHI), and Prof. Dr. Ali Khalighi (Ecole Central Marseille, France).