College - Author 1
College of Engineering
Department - Author 1
Electrical Engineering Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Electrical Engineering
Date
6-2026
Primary Advisor
Payam Nayeri, College of Engineering, Electrical Engineering Department
Abstract/Summary
This project supports the broader development and implementation of the company DASflect’s Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface (RIS). The goal of this RIS is to support indoor Distributed Antenna System (DAS) nodes, which are responsible for propagating cellular connectivity within an indoor space, such as a building or house. These DAS nodes are affected by obstacles such as walls and hallways that reduce coverage, which is a common problem for companies responsible for ensuring connectivity throughout a building. While installing more DAS nodes is a remedy, their high price makes it cost- and space-inefficient to connect small areas with low reception. This is much like purchasing an expensive, high-power lamp to light up a small closet because the room light cannot reach it behind a wall. One alternative is to introduce a RIS, which reflects the connection in a desired direction, which can be electrically controlled. This would provide a relatively inexpensive way to direct a signal into areas with less connectivity, or cellular “dead zones.” Returning to the analogy, a RIS would be similar to placing a cheap mirror that catches light from the main room to shine into the closet, making the installation of an expensive lamp unnecessary.
To ensure these designed RIS elements correctly distribute the signal, their performance must be characterized and parameterized, which is the primary goal of this project. A computational analysis of these RIS devices will formalize their capabilities and provide a performative benchmark. This is important for estimating preliminary performative metrics and providing insight into how these elements function. Metrics are especially sought after by DASflect’s customers as the design progresses. Such an analysis also heavily aids the design process; typical simulators like Ansys High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) are computationally intensive, and testing performative metrics can be costly in time. A simpler computational analysis will allow for quicker development of the RIS device, which is a high priority for DASflect.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/eesp/715