Project Grant 2224322

This National Science Foundation project grant of $392,690 will fund research at the University of California, Los Angeles from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025. The grant is part of NSF's Computer and Information Science and Engineering program (CFDA 47.070), which supports investigator-initiated research and education in all areas of computing, communications, and information science and engineering.

Specifically, the university researchers will investigate using machine learning algorithms to develop physical layer technologies and network management procedures for both user equipment and base stations. This aims to improve robustness and reliability of connectivity under mobility when operating at millimeter wave and sub-terahertz bands for future 5G evolution and 6G cellular networks. The research has three thrusts: 1) developing machine learning-assisted approaches for beam training and tracking using compressive sensing; 2) using convolutional neural networks for receiver processing to compensate nonlinearity and phase noise; and 3) intelligent handover algorithms using distributed deep reinforcement learning to minimize disruptions. The researchers will rely on extensive measurements and data set generations using millimeter wave testbeds.