VIAVI 6G Forward Program Drives Academic and Industry Research
August 17, 2022
News
Viavi Solutions Inc.'s (VIAVI) 6G Forward program aims to provide expertise, technology, and funding to research that could culminate in advancements toward wireless technology's next generation. Northeastern University and the University of Texas at Austin in the US, as well as the UK's University of Surrey have already received such support from VIAVI.
Through this support, Northeastern University's, Institute for Wireless Internet of Things and the Open6G cooperative research center is studying large-scale RF propagation channel modeling based on artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to develop a city-scale digital twin of a 6G network. The group is also working on a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC)-enabled Massive MIMO beamforming optimization testbed with VIAVI's E500 UE Emulator and a Colosseum 256-port RF channel emulator.
Research from 6G@UT — which falls within the Wireless Networking and Communications Group (WNCG) at the Universitty of Texas at Austin — is focused on re-training robust cellular traffic forecasters with adversarial condititons by applying end-to-end deep reinforcement learning (DRL).
VIAVI is a founding member of the University of Surrey's 5G/6G Innovation Centre led, which addresses advanced communication systems and obstacles in the development of a 5G, 5G+, and 6G infrastructure, as it pertains to providing connectivity for future technologies. Key research areas include:
- Antennas and signal processing
- Artificial intelligence for wireless communications
- Intelligent and high-performance networking and service delivery
- Intelligent RAN technology and management
- Mobile network security
- New physical layer
- Satellite communications
- THz components
- Communications all under future Integrated communication and sensing
VIAVI involvement in other 6G-focused initiatives includes:
- The Next G Alliance, an ATIS-led industry initiative focused on advancing North American mobile technology leadership in 6G and further over the next decade. Their projects focus on the full lifecycle, from research and development and manufacturing, to standardization and market readiness.
- 6G BRAINS, supported by the European Commission Horizon 2020 Programme, is developing AI-driven multi-agent DRL to perform resource allocation in 6G networks for Industry 4.0, intelligent transportation, e-health, etc. Its initiatives include providing network operators with new options for using and combining sub-6 GHz, mmWave, and THz spectrum, as well as optical wireless communications.
- The Beyond 5G Promotion Consortium, a forum for industry, academia, and government in Japan to share information about research and development in areas such as integrating cyberspace with the real world, known as Society 5.0.
For more information, visit https://www.viavisolutions.com/en-us/solutions/6g.
