National Instruments has donated nearly $1 million in hardware and software to NYU WIRELESS for the research of mmWave communications, channel measurement and channel emulation for 5G communications and beyond. As part of the donation, NI will equip NYU WIRELESS labs with hardware and software from its flexible software defined radio (SDR) solutions, which are being used by researchers in both industry and academia.
The donation brings together two powerhouses in the race to create wireless technology that can deliver broadband speeds over the air. An important aspect of this partnership is the tight pairing of NI’s hardware and software, which reduces the time to ramp up an SDR system so the NYU WIRELESS group can go beyond simulations to build and evaluate concepts. Using NI solutions, NYU WIRELESS have identified system-level bottlenecks and solved problems that are critical to achieving high-throughput wireless systems.
In the last year, the FCC, 3GPP and other standardization bodies for 5G have adopted the use of mmWave frequencies. Only recently has the mmWave radio spectrum become widely accepted as holding potential for the next generation of wireless networks. The technology is developing at a rapid pace and is in the midst of many innovations. Because much of the work around mmWave is still in its infancy, many research institutions and companies lack access to the mmWave SDRs and test and measurement equipment necessary to transition this technology from concept and simulation in the lab to a real-world environment.
5G will have a transformational impact on society by enhancing broadband access, connecting billions of devices and creating new applications and services in industries such as smart cities and infrastructures, medicine and transportation.
mmWave wireless prototyping demands platforms with enormous baseband processing power along with advanced antenna array systems. These systems have been extremely difficult to develop in university labs. With NI’s SDR solutions, NYU WIRELESS will now be uniquely capable of rapid prototyping and experimentation to push the envelope in mmWave channel sounding, emulation and communication system design and drive the development and commercialization of mmWave technology in partnership with our network of 18 affiliate sponsors. Click here for more information on NI SDR and 5G solutions.
