Specific Emitter Identification (SEI)

Thursday, October 8, 2020 14:00 -15:00 EDT

SEI is the process of uniquely identifying an individual transmitter from the signal received by a receiver system. Unlike digital identification, where identification signals can be perfectly reproduced, SEI uses the analogue signal characteristics of the signal to generate a unique fingerprint which can be associated with each transmitter, with the result that SEI is sometimes also referred to as radio-frequency fingerprinting (RFF). These analogue variations arise as a result of component tolerances which affect transmissions, but whose effects are small enough not to affect system operation.

This webinar will introduce SEI by considering the development of a simple SEI system. Recorded signals will be shown to illustrate how measurable differences which do not affect system operation can arise. The effect of factors such as SNR will also be demonstrated as examples of some of the challenges SEI systems face. Lastly, the use of different classifiers will be considered to show the performance achievable from an SEI system.

Speaker and Presenter Information

PRESENTER

Warren du Plessis received the B.Eng. (Electronic) and M.Eng. (Electronic) and Ph.D. (Engineering) degrees from the University of Pretoria in 1998, 2003 and 2010 respectively, winning numerous academic awards including the prestigious Vice-Chancellor and Principal's Medal. He has been working in EW and radar since 2006 and is currently a Professor at the University of Pretoria. Prof. du Plessis is a Senior Member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Lifetime Member of the Association of Old Crows (AOC), a member of the AOC Aardvark Roost Board, and a Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

He is author of 55 published and accepted peer-reviewed journal and conference papers, and is lead or sole author of 32 of these, thereby demonstrating his leading role in developing and evaluating innovative new concepts. While his primary research focus has been cross-eye jamming, Prof. du Plessis has also published on issues such as data reduction, cognitive EW, and possible approaches to enhancing EW training.