The Engineer's Impact - Ali Attaran

Your inside look at faculty’s research and its effect on society

In this new Q&A series, we’ll feature Western Engineering faculty members to gain a succinct overview of their research, understand its impact on society, and discover intriguing little-known facts.

Meet Electrical and Computer Engineering Assistant Professor Ali Attaran. 

abouzarCan you describe your research?

My research focuses on making wireless communication clearer, smaller, and more reliable — whether it’s in cars, hospitals, or entertainment systems. I design antennas, circuits, and sensors that allow devices to exchange data without interference. In cars, this means improving GPS, satellite radio, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication. In hospitals, it means developing safer MRI systems and sensors for testing medical implants. And in consumer electronics, I design high-quality wireless audio transmitters and receivers — the kind used in professional sports, film, and live entertainment — ensuring crystal-clear sound even in noisy, signal-crowded environments.

How does your research impact society in everyday life?

My work affects people in ways they often don’t realize. When you listen to a live sports broadcast, the wireless microphone or player mic may use technology I helped design at Quantum5X, providing clear, drop-free sound to millions of viewers. When you drive a connected vehicle, my antenna systems at Ford help your car maintain strong GPS and satellite connections, enabling accurate navigation and enhancing vehicle safety systems. And when a patient undergoes an MRI scan, the sensors and probes I developed ensure that medical implants are tested safely. Overall, my research improves communication, safety, and quality across industries that touch our daily lives — from entertainment to healthcare to transportation.

What’s an interesting, little-known fact related to your research?

Early in my career, I built the world’s first programmable chipless RFID tag — a tiny, battery-free sensor that can identify or track objects using radio waves alone.
More recently, my team has been developing miniaturized in-case antennas for wireless transmitters, enabling devices such as player microphones and compact audio packs to perform flawlessly despite their small size and harsh environments. It’s fascinating how the same radio-frequency principles can power everything from a car’s communication system to a microphone on an athlete’s jersey — all based on the same physics of electromagnetic waves.