Communications of the ACM
Improving Internet Access on the Move
Train operators will be able to offer passengers more reliable entertainment and Internet services as a result of new technology that has been developed by researchers at York University. York research fellow John Thornton has used common plastics to create a dome-like "lens" that transmits and receives signals from an orbiting satellite at a high level. The lens overcomes the bandwidth and geographical coverage issues that have beset trains that use a dish. Thornton's team has also developed a system that will allow a single lens to track more than one satellite at a time. "Providing these services on a moving vehicle such as a train, anywhere in Europe, is a huge technological challenge and that is reflected in the limited number of routes where they are currently enjoyed by passengers," says Thornton. "Our research should make it far easier for train operators to offer a broader range of Internet and live media services in many more locations and at a lower cost." Thornton has turned his attention to finding commercial partners for the new technology.
From The University of York
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