NI to address Wireless Spectrum Shortage

National Instruments has announced its collaboration with several researchers focussed on RF and wireless communications research, specifically fifth-generation (5G) wireless communications to alleviate the bandwidth crunch and increase network data capacity. Market analysts predict that spectrum demand in the U.S. will outstrip capacity by 2017. Through the RF/Communications Lead User program, NI aims to address network capacity concerns.
 
Wireless communications researchers involved in the lead user program accelerate prototyping with graphical system design. Conventional methods and disparate tools make prototyping expensive and can add years to development time as researchers struggle with long learning curves on tools, which detracts focus from the actual research. The graphical system design approach significantly reduces the time it takes to transition from theory to practical results in a real-world environment. 
 
Sundeep Rangan, NYU Wireless Professor, said, The complexity of today’s wireless communication challenges requires a new design approach. We were able to build a functional LTE prototype in a few months as a foundational element to our research.
 
TU Dresden joined the RF/Communications Lead User program in 2011 and demonstrated a generalized frequency division multiplexing (GFDM) prototype at NI Week 2013 in Austin, Texas.