AIDRC researchers co-authored an accepted IEEE Vehicular Technology Magazine article on time reversal for 6G wireless communications. The article presents experimental results on the spatiotemporal focusing capability of time reversal across carrier frequencies. It examines requirements for efficient time reversal operation and synergies with technologies like reconfigurable intelligent surfaces. Why it matters: The research explores advancements in 6G wireless communication, with potential implications for coverage extension, sensing, and localization capabilities in the region.
KAUST researchers propose using tethered unmanned aerial vehicles (TUAVs) with cellphone antennas to address public concerns about EMF exposure from mobile networks. The TUAVs would receive signals, reducing users' uplink exposure and employing low power 'green antennas' that do not radiate EMF. A network of ground stations would provide power and broadband data links to the TUAVs. Why it matters: The system could allow the development of 6G mobile systems to continue while decreasing EMF exposure, and the team has already applied for a U.S. patent for their proposal, indicating significant commercial potential.
KAUST Ph.D. student Qurrat-Ul-Ain Nadeem received a 2018 Marconi Society Paul Baran Young Scholar Award for her work in full-dimension (FD) massive multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transmission technology. Nadeem's research could more than double the average throughput performance of existing wireless communication systems through 3D beamforming. Her work establishes a link between the industry's vision for FD-MIMO and the theoretical study of 3-D beamforming. Why it matters: This award recognizes young researchers in Saudi Arabia and highlights KAUST's role in promoting science and technology in the region, especially for women in STEM.
Technology Innovation Institute's (TII) Directed Energy Research Center (DERC) is integrating machine learning (ML) techniques into signal processing to accelerate research. One project used convolutional neural networks to predict COVID-19 pneumonia from chest x-rays with 97.5% accuracy. DERC researchers also demonstrated that ML-based signal and image processing can retrieve up to 68% of text information from electromagnetic emanations. Why it matters: This adoption of ML for signal processing at TII highlights the potential for advanced AI techniques to enhance research and security applications in the UAE.
This talk discusses the asymptotic study of large asymmetric spiked tensor models. It explores connections between these models and equivalent random matrices constructed through contractions of the original tensor. Mohamed El Amine Seddik, currently a senior researcher at TII in Abu Dhabi, presented the work. Why it matters: The research provides theoretical foundations relevant to machine learning algorithms that leverage low-rank tensor structures, potentially impacting AI research and applications in the region.
KAUST Professor Wolfgang Heidrich is researching computational imaging systems that jointly design optics and image reconstruction algorithms. He focuses on hardware-software co-design for imaging systems with applications in HDR, compact cameras, and hyperspectral imaging. Heidrich's work on HDR displays was the basis for Brightside Technologies, acquired by Dolby in 2007. Why it matters: This research aims to advance imaging technology through AI-driven design, potentially impacting various fields from consumer electronics to scientific research within the region and globally.
Researchers from the AI and Digital Science Research Center (AIDRC) won the Best Paper Award at the 2022 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM) for their paper "RSMA for Dual-Polarized Massive MIMO Networks: A SIC-Free Approach". The paper introduces a dual-polarized RSMA technique for downlink massive MIMO networks, using the polarization domain. Their approach relaxes the computational burden of successive interference cancellation and delivers high data rates. Why it matters: This award recognizes impactful research from the UAE on optimizing wireless communication using AI, which can contribute to advancements in 5G and beyond.
DERC is partnering with EPFL in Switzerland on a four-year project using EMTR and ML to study electromagnetic disturbance localization in PCBs. Professor Farhad Rachidi (EPFL) and Dr. Nicolas Mora (DERC) will mentor a PhD student. The collaboration builds on prior relationships between DERC researchers and Prof. Rachidi's lab. Why it matters: The partnership strengthens DERC's methodological expertise and international recognition in electromagnetic studies, potentially leading to further collaborations.