1 of 8

NSF and Advanced Wireless�Foundational Research, At-Scale Testing, and Societal Impact

Thyaga Nandagopal

Deputy Division Director,

Division of Computing and Communication Foundations

CISE, NSF

May 20, 2020

2 of 8

Then …

  • 25 years ago

Industries of the Future: Advanced Wireless @ NSF

2

5/20/2020

3 of 8

… and now

  • Advanced Wireless networks are the enabler
    • WiFi, Bluetooth
    • 3G 🡪 4G 🡪 and (upcoming) 5G
  • Many innovations powered by NSF research

Industries of the Future: Advanced Wireless @ NSF

3

5/20/2020

4 of 8

Building Blocks

  • Electromagnetic Spectrum
    • 600 MHz to 100 GHz
    • Use more spectrum
      • some with conflicting uses
    • Better electronics
    • Cooperative spectrum sharing
    • Modern channel models
  • Increased spectrum efficiency (higher data-speeds/Hz)
    • Signal processing techniques
    • Interference cancellation algorithms
    • Protocols

​

​

​

​

  • Switching from hardware-heavy to software-heavy network
    • Software-defined functions
    • Programmability during operations to allow dynamic updates
    • Integration of wired and wireless networks
  • Novel uses of wireless
    • Sensing (a more generalized version of radar)
      • Human, Underground, In-vivo, Space, Underwater
    • Power transfer

Industries of the Future: Advanced Wireless @ NSF

4

5/20/2020

5 of 8

Examples of ties to IotF Sectors

Industries of the Future: Advanced Wireless @ NSF

5

5/20/2020

AI enables better

channel models

Wireless enables distributed machine learning on

phones/sensors

Faster development of novel modular hardware and circuits

Real-time wireless remote control of machinery

Quantum key exchange for secure wireless communications

Finer radio-frequency control of quantum circuits

Biological wireless circuits

Wireless sensors

In-vivo comms

6 of 8

NSF Investments in Advanced Wireless

  • On average, $100M annually
  • Foundational R&D
    • Core research programs, Spectrum Innovation Initiative (NSF 20-081), Partnerships (DARPA, Intel, PAWR Industry Consortium)
  • Testing infrastructure
    • Platforms for Advanced Wireless Research (https://beyond5g.org)
    • National Radio Dynamic Zone (NSF 20-079)
  • Education and Workforce Development
    • National Center for Wireless Spectrum Research (NSF 20-557)
  • Interagency R&D Coordination

Industries of the Future: Advanced Wireless @ NSF

6

5/20/2020

7 of 8

Advanced Wireless Testbeds

Industries of the Future: Advanced Wireless @ NSF

7

5/20/2020

PAWR Testbeds

FABRIC Mid-Scale RI

Rural Wireless Broadband Platform: expected announcement by end of 2020

Northeastern Univ

Columbia Univ

North Carolina State Univ

Rice Univ

Univ of Utah

8 of 8

Learn More

​

​

  • https://advancedwireless.org/ - PAWR Testbed Program

​

​

Industries of the Future: Advanced Wireless @ NSF

8

5/20/2020