Collaborative Research: CNS Core: Small: Extended Reality over Wireless Cellular Networks: Quality-of-Experience Analysis and Optimization

扩展现实（XR）技术，包括虚拟现实、增强现实和混合现实，将使用户沉浸在虚拟世界中，从游戏到体育和娱乐等多个领域具有前所未有的交互性。然而，到目前为止，XR技术主要依赖于有线连接，这限制了它们在小空间的使用，并缩小了它们的应用领域。相比之下，这项研究的目标是通过将XR技术与无缝无线连接结合起来，释放XR技术的潜力。因此，这项研究将有可能使用户能够随时随地使用XR应用程序，而不必局限于室内环境，也不必携带笨重的电缆连接的XR设备。这一目标是通过开发一个整体框架来实现无线网络上的XR，通过共生地将严格的理论与现实世界的通信系统设计考虑相结合。该框架的一个关键组成部分是开发精确的体验质量指标，将客观的无线服务质量指标与主观的XR用户体验指标结合起来，使用效用理论工具。然后将这些指标集成到新的资源管理算法中，该算法融合了强化学习和油藏计算的概念，以确保无缝的XR体验质量，并使网络适应XR用户动态。开发的解决方案在现实环境中通过模拟和用户实验相结合进行验证。这项研究将有助于加速无线XR技术和应用的部署，从而产生切实的社会影响。将制定一个精心设计的教育计划，重点是无线XR，将包括课程开发以及学生参与研究和实践项目。扩大参与的外展活动将作为现有夏令营的一部分组织，包括研讨会和实践活动，可以让社区了解无线XR技术，特别是这项研究的成果。将组织以无线XR为重点的讲习班，以便广泛传播。该项目的结果将公布在https://sites.google.com/view/nsfcns2008646project/homeThis上，该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，认为值得支持。

Extended reality (XR) technologies, encompassing virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality, will immerse users in virtual worlds with unprecedented interactivity across multiple domains ranging from gaming to sports and entertainment. However, to date, XR technologies have mostly relied on wired connectivity, which restricts their use to small spaces and narrows their application domains. In contrast, the goal of this research is to unleash the potential of XR technologies by marrying them with seamless wireless connectivity. As a result, this research will potentially enable users to use XR applications on-the-go without being confined to indoor environments and having to carry cumbersome cable-connected XR equipment.This goal is achieved by developing a holistic framework for enabling XR over wireless networks by symbiotically integrating rigorous theory with real-world communication system design considerations. A key component of this framework is the development of precise quality-of-experience metrics that combine objective wireless quality-of-service indicators with subjective XR user experience measures using tools from utility theory. These metrics are then integrated into novel resource management algorithms that merge concepts from reinforcement learning and reservoir computing to guarantee seamless XR quality-of-experience and adapt the network to XR user dynamics. The developed solutions are validated in realistic environments using a combination of simulations and user experiments.This research will contribute towards accelerating the deployment of wireless XR technologies and applications thus having tangible societal impacts. A well-crafted educational plan focused on wireless XR will be developed and will include curriculum development as well as involvement of students in research and hands-on projects. Broadening participation outreach events will be organized as part of existing summer camps and will include seminars and hands-on activities that can expose the community to wireless XR technologies, in general, and the outcomes of this research, in particular. Workshops focused on wireless XR will be organized for broad dissemination. Outcomes of this project will be posted at https://sites.google.com/view/nsfcns2008646project/homeThis 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.