yi huang

Using Metamaterials for Wireless Energy Harvesting and Power Transfer

In this talk, I will present a comprehensive review and exploration of the metamaterials and metasurfaces in the field of wireless power transfer (WPT) and wireless energy harvesting (WEH). These two closely related areas have garnered significant attention due to their immense practical implications. Our focus lies in elucidating strategies to enhance the energy conversion efficiency of both systems. By harnessing the unique capabilities of metamaterials and metasurfaces, significant improvements can be achieved in RF to DC energy conversion efficiency and operational distance. Through deliberate manipulation of electromagnetic fields between the transmitter and receiver, as well as reducing the sensitivity of reception to incident wave angle and polarization, metamaterials and metasurfaces offer unparalleled opportunities for optimizing performance. These novel materials can function as either parasitic elements or loading components, effectively augmenting the overall efficiency of wireless energy harvesting. Through a systematic analysis of recent research and cutting-edge developments, we aim to provide valuable insights into the practical implementation of metamaterials and metasurfaces for WPT and WEH. The discussion will cover key methodologies, emerging trends, and potential challenges in the field. Additionally, we will explore potential applications and highlight the transformative impact of these advancements on WPT and WEH technologies.

Yi Huang received DPhil in Communications from the University of Oxford, UK in 1994. He has been conducting research in the areas of wireless communications, applied electromagnetics, radar, and antennas since 1987. His experience includes 3 years spent with NRIET (China) as a Radar Engineer and various periods with the Universities of Birmingham, Oxford, and Essex in the UK as a member of research staff. He worked as a Research Fellow at British Telecom Labs in 1994 and then joined the Department of Electrical Engineering & Electronics, the University of Liverpool, UK as a Faculty in 1995, where he is now a full Professor in Wireless Engineering, the Head of High Frequency Engineering Group. Prof Huang has published over 400 refereed papers in leading international journals and conference proceedings, and authored Antennas: from Theory to Practice (Wiley, 2008, 2021), Reverberation Chambers: Theory and Applications to EMC and Antenna Measurements (Wiley, 2016), and Anechoic and Reverberation Chambers (Wiley and IEEE Press, 2019). He has received many research grants from research councils, government agencies, charity, EU, and industry, and is a recipient of 8 awards (e.g. BAE Systems Chairman’s Award 2017, IET Innovation Award 2018, and many Best Paper Awards), and served on a number of national and international technical committees and been an Editor, Associate Editor or Guest Editor of five international journals. He has been a keynote/invited speaker and organiser of many conferences and workshops (e.g. IEEE iWAT2010, LAPC2012 and EuCAP2018). He is at present the Editor-in-Chief of Wireless Engineering and Technology, Associate Editor of IEEE Antennas and Wireless Propagation Letters, UK and Ireland Rep to European Association of Antenna and Propagation (EurAAP 2016-2020), a Fellow of IEEE, and a Fellow of IET. More information can be found from: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/electrical-engineering-and-electronics/staff/yi-huang/