National Radio Networking Research Testbed (NRNRT)
Project Award Date: 10-02-2003
Description
The radio frequency (RF) spectrum is a significant national, natural, and renewable resource. Recently, a number of themes have converged to cause significant reconsideration of how radio frequency spectrum is managed in the United States and elsewhere. The important themes are: advances in radio system engineering; end-user interest in mobile access to information; requirements of national defense and homeland security; recognition that spectrum is woefully under-utilized; and proposals to dramatically change the modes and mechanisms for using radio frequency.
For many decades building radios has been relegated to radio engineers. However, new ways to communicate while on the move and new mobile services are emerging. Building mobile networking devices and services requires integrating multiple disciplines including: electromagnetics, circuit design, signal processing, network protocols, and service development. The emergence of multiple mobile communication devices and the urge to always be connected is driving research and investment in new communication services and devices.
We propose to establish a National Radio Network Research Testbed (NTNRT) to support research and development of new radio devices, services, and architectures and to provide a facility for researchers to test and evaluate their systems. The NRNRT consists of (1) a field deployed measurement and evaluation system for long-term radio frequency data collection, and experimental facility for testing and evaluating new radios, (2) an accurate emulation/simulation system incorporating long-term field measurement for evaluating new wireless network architectures, policies, and network protocols, and (3) experiments with innovative wireless networks that integrate analysis, emulation/simulation, and field measurements.
Investigators
Faculty Investigator(s): Gary Minden (PI), James Roberts
Student Investigator(s): Ryan Reed, Travis Short, Anupama Veeragandham, Rakesh Rajbanshi, Dragan Trajkov, Qi Chen, Jordan Guffey, Brian Cordill, Levi Pierce, Dinesh Datla, , Frederick Weidling, Victor Petty IV, Timothy Newman
Project Sponsors
Primary Sponsor(s): National Science Foundation
