Collaborative Research:SWIFT:Ultra Wideband Flexible MIMO Radios for Energy Efficient Secure Spectrum Sharing

无线链接、导航、自动化、物联网(IoT)和移动医疗保健在全球范围内的增长对频谱接入提出了挑战。与此同时，我们正在见证增强现实/虚拟现实(AR/VR)、自动驾驶和车辆对车辆通信(V2V)的快速发展。此外，增加无人机(UAV)的适应性可能需要大范围的带宽和高数据速率。事实上，无线电频谱利用的多样性正在迅速增长。然而，现有的无线网络可能不再能够跟上这些技术的步伐，这意味着需要新的节奏和有针对性的创新。同时，必须调整安全协议以避免窃听和中间人(MITM)攻击。另一个挑战是主动和被动频谱利用的共存。为了应对上述挑战，并绕过无线电频谱稀缺，本研究提出了显著推进下一代无线网络的创新和功能。其中：1)通过识别可用电磁频谱中的灰色和白色空间/间隙，使用稳健的频谱感知和传统频段的切片来提高吞吐量；2)频率独立和高隔离的天线馈送和RF抵消器，以实现频谱共存；3)宽带自主多输入多输出(MIMO)收发器，使用Flex Radio架构，以实现整体频谱效率的最大化；4)通过多路复用显著减少硬件；以及5)通过人工智能(AI)技术抵御中间人攻击。该项目还将促进快速增长的无线工程领域的劳动力发展。课程改进旨在整合频谱感知、无线安全和跨层射频收发器架构方面的新技术。此外，还将利用无线和物联网技术方面的新学位和新课程来促进STEM外联计划和协调外联活动。后者的目标是从迈阿密-戴德县和布罗沃德县招募更多的本科生和K-12学生，接受无线工程方面的培训。可以利用的外展计划包括车轮上的工程师、工程博览会、Enlace(参与拉丁裔社区教育)和迈阿密准备(积极青年准备)计划。这项拟议的研究旨在开发具有自适应射频前端和后端跨层算法的下一代灵活且安全的无线网络，这些算法通过新颖的中继架构实现频谱效率和高吞吐量，所有这些都考虑到了终端用户保护。也就是说，提出了一种新的低成本、低功耗的安全MIMO收发信机，具有100dB的收发隔离，以及灵活的无线电体系结构。提出了以下创新：1)基于人工智能的有效频谱利用和/或共存；2)通过跨层设计创新的发射机和接收机技术；3)通过检测中间人攻击和其他窃听者来提高安全性。值得注意的是，拟议研究的变革性源于引入的新颖性，以克服在开发具有安全数据中继的低功率和低成本灵活无线电架构和射频电子产品方面的挑战，以提供对中间人攻击的弹性。为了实现所提出的目标，在以下领域需要强大的背景：RF前端/后端硬件、数学网络建模、传播、优化、控制、排队、随机分析和遗留系统操作，通过以下推力集成：1)RF可重构性和频谱聚合以支持具有解耦的PHY/MAC协议的用户，2)具有增加吞吐量和使用高性能PHY/MAC层算法的保护的自适应FlexRadio无线网络，3)用于频谱共存的RF自干扰消除，4)基于人工智能的安全和隐私模型。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Worldwide growth in wireless links, navigation, automation, Internet of Things (IoT), and mobile healthcare has challenged spectrum access. In parallel, we are witnessing rapid advances in augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), autonomous driving and vehicle-to-vehicle communications (V2V). Further, increased adaptation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) may require large swaths of bandwidth and high data rates. Indeed, the diversity of radio spectrum utilization is quickly growing. However, existing wireless networks may no longer be able to keep pace with these technologies, implying a need for new rhythms and targeted innovations. Concurrently, security protocols must be adapted to avoid eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks. Coexistence of active and passive spectrum utilization is another challenge. To address the aforementioned challenges, and to circumvent radio spectrum scarcity, this research brings forward innovations and features to significantly advance next generation wireless networks. Among them: 1) Increased throughput using robust spectrum sensing and slicing of legacy frequency bands by identifying gray and white spaces/gaps across the available electromagnetic spectrum; 2) Frequency independent and high isolation antenna feeds and RF cancellers to enable spectrum co-existence; 3) Wideband autonomous multiple-input-multiple output (MIMO) transceivers using Flex Radio architectures to maximize overall spectral efficiency; 4) Significant hardware reduction via multiplexing; and 5) Resilience against Man-in-the-Middle attacks via artificial intelligence (AI) techniques. This project will also foster workforce development in the rapidly growing area of wireless engineering. Curriculum enhancements are proposed to integrate new technologies on spectrum awareness, wireless security, and cross layer RF transceiver architectures. Further, new degrees and new curricula in wireless and IoT technologies will be leveraged to promote STEM outreach programs and coordinate outreach activities. The latter will be aimed at recruiting larger cohorts of undergraduates and K-12 students from the local Miami-Dade and Broward counties to be trained in wireless engineering. Examples of outreach programs to be leveraged include Engineers on Wheels, Engineering Expo, ENLACE (Engaging Latino Communities for Education), and the Miami PREP (Positive Youth Preparedness) programs. The proposed research aims to develop next generation flexible and secure wireless networking with adaptive RF front ends and back-end cross-layer algorithms that enable spectrum efficiency and high throughput via novel relay architectures, all with end user protection in mind. Namely, a new class of low cost and low power secure MIMO transceivers with 100 dB transmit/receive isolation are proposed along with Flexible Radio architectures. The following innovations are proposed: 1) AI-based effective spectrum utilization and/or coexistence, 2) Innovative transmitter and receiver technologies through cross-layer design, and 3) Improved security by detecting Man-in-the-Middle attacks and other eavesdroppers. Notably, the transformative nature of the proposed research stems from the introduced novelties to overcome challenges in developing low-power and low-cost Flexible Radio architectures and RF electronics with secure data relays to provide resilience for Man-in-the-Middle attacks. To accomplish the proposed goals, a strong background is required in the following areas: RF front/back-end hardware, mathematical network modeling, propagation, optimization, control, queuing, stochastic analysis, and legacy system operation integrated through the following thrusts: 1) RF reconfigurability and spectrum aggregation to support users with decoupled PHY/MAC protocols, 2) Adaptive FlexRadio wireless networks with increased throughput and protection using high performance PHY/MAC layer algorithm, 3) RF self-interference cancellation for spectrum co-existence, and 4) AI-based models for security and privacy.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.