NeTS: Small: Collaborative Research: Exploring the 60 GHz Spectral Frontier for Multi-Gigabit Wireless Networks

无线数据流量的指数增长导致频谱耗尽，并对现有和未来无线网络的容量造成极大压力。60 GHz频段巨大的未经许可带宽为满足激增的无线数据需求提供了巨大的潜力。该项目的目标是深入了解60 GHz的传播和信道特性，并开发有效的60 GHz网络协议。该项目分为四个相互作用的项目：(I)60 GHz三维信道传播测量和建模；(Ii)60 GHz网络中的MAC调度；(Iii)60 GHz网状网协议；以及(Iv)在60 GHz网络中实现丰富的多媒体通信。采用了现场测试和测量、数学建模、网络协议设计、分布式控制和跨层优化等多种方法来应对研究挑战。该项目是一项广泛而雄心勃勃的全球努力的一部分，目的是开发新的技术，以开发60 GHz频段内巨大的免许可证频谱，以应对指数级的无线数据增长。它有可能加速部署更强大、带宽密集型、无处不在和更便宜的无线应用和服务，并支持更多功能、更强大和更丰富的多媒体无线网络。作为对研究议程的补充，该项目还开展了广泛的教育和外联活动，包括将研究成果纳入无线工程课程、编写教科书、促进未被充分代表的人群和本科生、与HBCU合作，以及参与私人投资机构现有的K-12学生和教师外联计划。

The exponential growth of wireless data traffic causes spectrum depletion and significantly stresses the capacity of existing and future wireless networks. The massive unlicensed bandwidth in the 60 GHz band provides great potential to meet the surging wireless data demand. The goal of this project is to gain a deep understanding of the 60 GHz propagation and channel characteristics, and to develop effective 60 GHz network protocols. This project falls into four interacted thrusts: (i) 60 GHz 3-D channel propagation measurement and modeling; (ii) MAC scheduling in 60 GHz networks; (iii) 60 GHz mesh network protocols; and (iv) enabling rich multimedia communications in 60 GHz networks. Various methods including field testing and measurements, mathematical modeling, network protocol design, distributed control, and cross-layer optimization are adopted to address the research challenges. This project is part of a broad and ambitious global effort to develop novel techniques to exploit the huge license-free spectrum in the 60 GHz band in face of the exponential wireless data growth. It has the potential to accelerate the deployment of more powerful, bandwidth intensive, ubiquitous and cheaper wireless applications and services, and the support of more versatile, robust and rich-multimedia wireless networks. Complementary to the research agenda, the project also carries out a broad range of education and outreach activities, including integration of research findings into wireless engineering courses, textbook development, promoting underrepresented and undergraduate populations, collaboration with an HBCU, and participating in existing programs at the PIs' institutions for outreach to K-12 students and teachers.