Hands-On Learning for Novel Solutions to Radio Spectrum Problems
Abstract
?In 2012, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) recommended managing radio spectrum in large bands, shared between diverse but compatible users rather than smaller individually licensed bands.[1] In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is beginning to follow this model for selected radio frequency bands, and similar efforts are underway in other countries. The incoming shift toward shared spectrum management will require the Navy as well as other government and commercial entities to update and develop systems in order to use the RF spectrum within the new paradigm. Cognitive radio (CR) and related technologies can enable such systems to operate in the resulting unpredictable environments. This requires a sizeable, appropriately skilled workforce and to that end we plan to create educational materials for use in advanced undergraduate and graduate courses as well as in continuing education courses. The materials will cover key concepts in CR technology, enabling students to understand CR and implement it themselves. To maximize the relevance and potential of the materials they will be subject to continuous evaluation throughout the development process by a network of partner academic and Naval institutions. The materials will leverage existing infrastructure at Virginia Tech, including a testbed of CR hardware and CR testing software, to give students hands-on experience. The open access of the testbed to other educational institutions and the free and open nature of the testing software enable a low barrier-to-entry to making use of the materials. Further, the moderate price of setting up hardware for a custom testbed enables flexible use of the materials by students, instructors, and professionals at their home institutions or organizations if desired. Materials developed under this grant will be made freely available with open licensing that enables further improvements and updates, during and beyond the initial project, by interested parties. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), Report to the President: Realizing the Full Potential of Government-Held Spectrum to Spur Economic Growth, White house, Washington, DC, 2012.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- May 20, 2016
- Source ID
- N000141512421
Entities
People
- Carl Dietrich
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy
- Virginia Tech