Towards Software-Defined Soft Robotic Antennas for Spectrum Era 4

Radio spectrum is fundamental resource for wireless communication. As a result, the ability to allow radios to flexibly use different parts of the wireless spectrum is key to managing this scarce resource efficiently. Indeed, the original vision of a software defined radio is one in which a radio’s center frequency is tunable, as is the precise signal waveform that is to be transmitted. However, a pivotal element is typically not as flexible to program – the antenna. Indeed, most programmable radios today either require mechanical or electronic switching between antennas, or wide-band antennas whose performance is poor especially if form factor is constrained. This project develops Softenna, a first-of-its kind soft-robotic highly re-configurable antenna platform that dynamically adapts its RF properties, including center frequency, beam pattern, directionality and polarization. Softenna achieves this through a combination of mechanical and electronic re-configuration. Softenna combines innovation in wireless systems and soft robotics, enabling curriculum development at the university and K-12 levels that brings together both fields. Softenna is composed of multiple elements fabricated using stretchable and flexible materials and liquid metal. Softenna is designed to offer rich shape changes and a learning-based pipeline that studies which shape pattern is best suited to a given operating frequency, device location and environment. The system will be fully implemented on soft robotic antennas integrated with software defined radios operating in the sub-6 GHz frequency bands and evaluated these spectral bands. The project’s key contributions include: (1) The design of the Softenna platforms that enable rich variations in operating frequency; (2) Accompanying algorithms support learning and programming the behavior of these platforms to best suit any given environment. (3) A comprehensive implementation and study of the system through experimentation in varied testbeds, both indoors and outdoors. As part of educational and outreach efforts, the investigators will develop a workshop module where high-school students program wireless radios via Carnegie Mellon University’s Spark Saturday program and integrate findings in university-level courses in wireless systems and robotics. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.