RINGS: Harnessing the Complexity of Modern Electromagnetic Environments for Resilient Wireless Communications

我们都希望手持设备的下载速度每年都能越来越快--这就像无线通信带宽的摩尔定律。为了保持数据速率的持续增长，我们需要利用我们可用的每一项技术功能，并最大限度地利用它。一个特别的挑战是改善封闭环境中的无线通信，比如房间或建筑物，与自由空间传播相比，在封闭环境中信号以混乱的方式回响并且看起来毫无希望地被加扰。一种方法是使用可编程的墙壁或天花板安装的像素化表面来真正地塑造混响波，以增加到目标接收器的数据传输速率。可靠地提高数据速率的科学和技术是这项工作的主题。通过智能使用所有封闭空间常见的随机混响特性，结合我们可编程像素化表面实现的波浪控制，这门科学得到了发展。其结果是，即使在当前技术严重受限或完全不能操作的情况下，无线通信数据速率也得到了进一步的改进。该项目通过开展多机构努力，分享所有合作伙伴的成熟技术和经验，因此，工程文化和文科文化交织在一起。在频谱拥挤的混响环境中，多重散射和随后的许多射线路径的干扰所产生的异常复杂性和敏感性通常被认为是弹性通信和频谱的诅咒。管理这项工作旨在通过开发新型可重构智能表面（RIS）来扭转这种说法，该表面利用这种复杂性来收获大量的环境自由度，以主动修改和控制电磁环境。所开发的RIS能够在空间和时间上操纵从它们反射的波前，以便在真实的空间中创建热点或冷点，并且它们能够将信号频移到特定用户以进行高级频谱管理。他们还使用随机算法和机器学习技术快速适应破坏性事件。此外，RIS内的单元使用RF和混合信号电路、天线和组件进行设计，以捕获可能通过宽带信号的相互作用或由于对网络的故意攻击而随机发生的破坏性短脉冲事件，从而支持自适应和弹性通信。其结果是一个更强大和更有能力的无线通信网络，推动了无线内容和使用的进一步创新，从而提高了用户的满意度。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

We have all come to expect faster and faster download speeds every year from our hand-held devices – a kind of Moore’s Law for wireless communications bandwidth. To maintain this relentless increase in data rates we need to harness every technological feature available to us, and utilize it to the maximum extent. A particular challenge is improving wireless communications in enclosed environments, like a room or building, where the signals reverberate in a chaotic manner and appear to be hopelessly scrambled, as compared to free space propagation. One approach is to use a programmable wall or ceiling-mounted pixelated surface to literally mold the reverberating waves to increase the data transfer rates to targeted receivers. The science and technology of reliably improving the data rates is the subject of this work. This science is advanced through intelligent use of the random reverberant properties common to all enclosed spaces, combined with wave control enabled by our programmable pixelated surfaces. The outcome is further improvement of wireless communication data rates even in situations where present-day technology is severely handicapped, or fails to operate altogether. This project provides enhanced infrastructure for research and education by developing a multi-institutional effort sharing the proven techniques and experiences of all partners, thus intertwining engineering culture and liberal arts culture.The extraordinary complexity and sensitivity generated by multiple scattering and the consequent interference of many ray paths in spectrally crowded reverberant settings is typically considered anathema for resilient communications and spectrum management. This effort aims to invert this narrative, by developing novel reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) that take advantage of this complexity to harvest the enormous number of environmental degrees of freedom in order to actively modify, and control, the electromagnetic environment. The developed RIS is able to manipulate, both spatially and temporally, the wavefronts reflected from them in order to create hot- or cold-spots in real space, and they enable frequency-shifting of signals to specific users for advanced spectrum management. They also rapidly adjust to disruptive events using stochastic algorithms together with machine learning techniques. In addition, cells within the RIS are designed using RF and mixed signal circuits, antennas, and components to capture disruptive short pulse events that can occur randomly through the interaction of broadband signals, or due to a deliberate attack on the network, supporting adaptive and resilient communications. The outcome is a more robust and capable wireless communication network that fuels further innovations in wireless content and usage, resulting in increased satisfaction for the user.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.