Using SDR to Advance Wireless Research
See how technology researchers and engineers are accelerating wireless prototyping and design with the NI software defined radio platform.
As the evolution beyond 5G continues, academic and industry researchers are already working to define 6G, the next generation cellular standard. 6G research into promising enabling technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, sub-THz frequencies, MIMO, and RADAR sensing is under way. Researchers must create prototypes of concepts and technology to prove the viability of their ideas and advance our fundamental knowledge of wireless communications.
NI’s 5G and 6G solutions enable researchers to quickly move from mathematical models to over-the-air testbeds—going beyond simulation to real-world experiments. Testbeds offer the ability to evaluate how new technologies will perform under realistic conditions and their potential for increasing network performance and enabling new services. Through integration of hardware and software, NI provides flexible solutions for engineers to rapidly prototype and deploy real-time wireless communications systems.
By leveraging software defined radio (SDR) technology, NI solutions combine flexibility and performance to enable researchers to experiment with new concepts and quickly iterate. Co-processing and FPGA acceleration pair with highly capable RF front ends to deliver real-time systems that are ideal for wireless research and prototyping. The modular, open architectures allow hardware and software system extensions to adapt to changing needs as wireless networks evolve beyond 5G.
NI offers affordable single-seat software licenses tailored for academic teaching and research. Eligible users must be affiliated with an academic institution, use the software exclusively for teaching or research purposes, and agree to the academic software agreement. The licenses include LabVIEW, FlexLogger, DIAdem, VeriStand, and more, and cannot be used for commercial purposes.
With the help of NOFFZ Technologies, researchers at the Barkhausen Institute created a prototyping platform for joint wireless communication and radar sensing for testing communication algorithms.
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