Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Research efforts into the development of new reconfigurable networks with ultra-high throughput, ultra-low latency, and ubiquitous connectivity for 5G wireless communication continue to expand globally. The concept of massive multiple-input multiple-output (mMIMO) underpins successful optimization of the 5G physical-layer, given its potential to simultaneously increase spectral efficiency and system throughput, reduce transmission power, improve user experience, and reduce the complexity of user equipment. Industry is racing to develop cost-effective infrastructure solutions with radio frequency (RF) hardware capable of meeting the challenging requirements of both signal quality and power consumption under realistic operating conditions. To succeed in realizing wireless solutions that achieve the full promise of 5G, researchers must develop, in a synergistic manner, power efficient mMIMO RF frontends and real-time digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms which account for the practical constraints and limitations. The requested mMIMO characterization and development platform will include 16-channel sub-6GHz digital-to-RF transceiver hardware with fully reconfigurable real-time signal processing capabilities and high-throughput peer-to-peer communication to form the first truly sub-6GHz 5G mMIMO test bed in Canada. This platform will allow researchers to carry out comprehensive theoretical and technical training in advanced DSP techniques, microwave and wireless communications systems engineering, test and measurement techniques, digital hardware, and real-time systems for graduate students, and is critical to the internationally-competitive research programs of the applicants. Outcomes of these programs (new analyses, models, algorithms and RF frontend module prototypes) are essential to the applicants' multinational industry partners. In addition, at least 15 students, research associates and postdoctoral fellows will develop knowledge and practical skills at the very leading edge of the sub-6GHz mMIMO communication technology evolution. These highly qualified personnel will work closely with researchers and engineers from world-leading industry partners, and their research will provide those partners with critical knowledge for practical mMIMO-based infrastructure deployment. This will help ensure Canadian industry has access to highly-skilled labor and is at the forefront of the commercialization of 5G networking equipment. Moreover, the outcomes made possible with the requested equipment will help us realize the benefits of mMIMO communication technology to meet the staggeringly high data rate, low latency and high connectivity demands imposed by the digital transformation of service provision in the wireless communication sector.