VINES: Track 1: NSF-SRC: High Efficiency Radio Over (HERO) fiber for 6G Networks and Beyond

Wireless networks are everywhere, connecting phones, cars, and even homes. As the demand for faster and more reliable connections grows, there is a need for smarter technology that can keep up with new challenges. This project brings together a team from Virginia Tech and Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden to make these networks work better for everyone. By leveraging the principles from artificial intelligence and brain-inspired computing, the team will help wireless devices learn and adapt quickly, enabling them to respond effectively to dynamic real-world conditions. This international partnership combines expertise from both institutions to address the needs of next-generation wireless systems. The research will build a new kind of radio access network, called AI-radio access network (AI-RAN), that uses brain-inspired computing chips and advanced learning methods. The project will design a flexible transmitter front-end that can take in signals sent over fiber optics and turn them into wireless signals in a way that saves energy and works with both new and existing systems. Special hardware, such as field-programmable gate arrays, will be used to build a neuromorphic computing engine for real-time signal processing and optimization. The transmitter will recover timing information from the incoming data and use it to control a mixed-signal radio-frequency digital-to-analog converter and a power amplifier. The technical work is organized into focused tasks, including building the hardware, creating the learning software, and making sure everything works together smoothly. The project will also explore new ways to optimize power amplifiers using artificial intelligence, aiming to reduce power consumption while maintaining high performance, especially in the new frequency bands above 7 GHz. The results of this project will help make wireless networks more reliable, efficient, and ready for the future. This means better support for things like smart cities, self-driving cars, and remote healthcare, where dependable and fast wireless connections are essential. The project will train students in both the United States and Sweden, giving them hands-on experience with the latest tools for building radio systems and artificial intelligence, and preparing them for careers in technology and engineering. By working together across countries and fields, the project will help make wireless communication safer, more flexible, and available to more people. The research team will also share their findings through courses, conferences, and outreach programs, helping to spread new knowledge and inspire future innovation in wireless technology. 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.