By Thakshila Wedage
Participating in the IEEE Communication Society (IEEE ComSoc) School Series Boston Event at Northeastern University was an honour and a truly transformative experience. As one of the selected candidates from a competitive pool, I had the privilege of presenting my work on “Climate Change Sensing through Terahertz Communication Infrastructure: A Disruptive Application of 6G Networks.” This blog post aims to highlight the significance of this event, the valuable knowledge shared by experts, and the cutting-edge technologies showcased throughout the series.
A Platform for Innovation and Collaboration
The IEEE ComSoc School Series brought together 36 exceptional individuals from diverse backgrounds, all with a shared passion for advancing the field of wireless communication. From the moment we arrived, it was evident that this event was designed to foster collaboration and encourage the exchange of ideas among researchers, academics, and industry professionals. Also, engaging with like-minded individuals, networking with professionals from industry giants like Microsoft and Ericsson, and sharing ideas with peers worldwide created an environment conducive to forming lasting connections and initiating future research collaborations.
Top-Notch Lectures
The school featured 18 lectures delivered by renowned researchers from prestigious institutions such as MIT, Princeton, and other leading universities. These experts shared their expertise on various topics, including mmWave wireless communication, THz wireless communication, Mobile wireless communication, Artificial intelligence and visible light native communication and sensing, 802.x Wireless regulations and protocols, Molecular communication theory, AI-driven wireless systems, Non-terrestrial Networks, and spectrum policy.
The lectures highlighted the latest advancements and emerging trends in wireless communication, shedding light on the key technological enablers and innovations at the physical and network layers. Attendees were exposed to groundbreaking research, inspiring discussions, and thought-provoking insights into the future of wireless communication.
Hands-On Labs and Demonstrations
In addition to the lectures, the series offered six hands-on labs and demonstrations, providing attendees
with an opportunity to gain practical experience and witness cutting-edge technologies firsthand. These sessions included informative presentations on the TeraNova testbed, Colosseum wireless network emulator, Intelligent Robotics, and outdoor drone flying cages.
The TeraNova testbed, developed by Northeastern University’s Ultrabroadband Nanonetworking (UN) Laboratory, is a groundbreaking platform operating at multiple sub-Terahertz and true Terahertz frequencies (up to 1.05 THz). It offers researchers a unique environment to explore the possibilities of next-generation communication systems. Moreover, the Colosseum wireless network emulator, featuring 256 software-defined radios, provides an unprecedented scale for emulating RF channels (over 65000) and facilitating multiple user services simultaneously.
My participation in the IEEE ComSoc School Series was an enlightening experience that expanded my knowledge of state-of-the-art technologies and sparked my enthusiasm for delving deeper into research in the field of wireless communication.
IEEE ComSoc and VistaMilk SFI Research Centre funded me to participate in this event.