Career: a distributed radio telescope powered by global IOT networks: low-cost, high-performance, and spectrum-sharing

The National Science Foundation Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems awarded Mississippi State University $549,218 on October 1, 2026, under the Engineering program (CFDA 47.041) to develop a distributed radio telescope powered by global internet-of-things networks.

The project creates an earth-scale radio telescope by synchronizing billions of spatially distributed IoT devices—including smartphones and laptops—as sensor nodes for coherent astronomical observations. The system employs embedded signal processing, distributed digital beamforming, and satellite-based calibration to enable detection even with noisy and asynchronous IoT devices. Key technical innovations include eigenvalue-based calibration that eliminates the need for precise node localization and reduced requirements for extreme timing accuracy. Beyond radio astronomy, the project's architecture spanning embedded sensing, edge computing, and wireless networking has applications in future communication networks, environmental monitoring, disaster response, and smart infrastructure. The recipient will release open-source hardware and software to encourage innovation in citizen science and community-based environmental sensing, broadening scientific participation through citizen science while advancing interdisciplinary innovation and STEM engagement.

Performance occurs at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi, with a period of performance from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031. This is a project grant, the assistance type for NSF research awards.

Abstract

This project represents a groundbreaking shift in how society can participate in and benefit from radio astronomy. By leveraging billions of everyday internet of things (IOT) devices (such as smartphones and laptops) as sensor nodes, the research aims to transform ordinary technology into powerful scientific tools. This novel approach broadens scientific participation through citizen science while advancing interdisciplinary innovation, allowing individuals of all backgrounds to contribute to astronomical discoveries and fostering widespread engagement in stem fields. Participants can access real-time data, educational content, and interactive platforms, making science more accessible and engaging. Beyond its scientific goals, the system's architecture, spanning embedded sensing, edge computing, and wireless networking, has far-reaching applications. IT can inform future communication networks, environmental monitoring, disaster response, and smart infrastructure. By releasing open-source hardware and software, the project encourages innovation in citizen science and community-based environmental sensing, amplifying its impacts across education, technology, and public engagement. Ultimately, this project not only advances scientific discovery but also strengthens society's capacity for collaborative problem-solving and innovation. The research of this project aims to create an earth-scale radio telescope by synchronizing billions of spatially distributed IOT devices as sensor nodes. The system employs embedded signal processing, distributed digital beamforming, and satellite-based calibration to enable coherent astronomical observations, even with noisy and asynchronous IOT devices. Key innovations include eigenvalue-based calibration that eliminates the need for precise node localization, reduced requirements for extreme timing accuracy, and scalable multi-layer signal processing. These methods allow the system to operate robustly in crowded spectral environments, dynamically mitigating interference and preserving privacy. The system architecture supports real-time spectrum sharing between communication services and scientific observations, addressing the growing challenge of radio-frequency interference. The interdisciplinary approach blends radio astronomy with distributed computing, wireless communications, and advanced signal processing, generating new theoretical and algorithmic insights. The novel IOT radio telescope not only overcomes the physical and economic limitations of traditional radio telescopes but also generates new insights in distributed sensor fusion, decentralized inference, and next-generation communication systems. By providing open-source reference designs, the project catalyzes further research and innovation, potentially transforming both radio astronomy and related fields. 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.- subawards are not planned for this award.