SINGAPORE, 10 MARCH 2010 – Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National Instruments (NI) are collaborating to develop the next-generation wireless communication technologies which are cheaper, faster, more reliable and more pervasive.
Making a formal announcement today, both parties inked a memorandum of agreement (MOA) at NTU.
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is a research-intensive university ranked among the world’s top 100 universities. NI is a technology company that specialises in systems for measurement, automation and embedded applications.
Developing future wireless communication protocols
The two organisations announced that they would focus on research to explore ways to bring the speed and quality of wireless network communications up to par with that of wired communications and develop wireless devices that offer ultra-high-speed mobile broadband services at virtually zero cost to the user.
One key goal of the NTU-NI Wireless Research Programme is to develop future wireless communication protocols. “One of the major problems faced worldwide currently is the increasing shortage of usable frequency spectrum, which is further aggravated by current spectrum allocation regulations,” said Assistant Professor Ting See Ho, programme director for wireless network research at the Positioning and Wireless Technology Centre (PWTC), a centre under NTU’s School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE).
“My research team aims to address these issues by developing the next generation of wireless communication technologies that are able to relay radio signals and scan for available ‘holes’ in airwaves without interfering with the incumbent users,” said Professor Ting. “This would mean that users can enjoy the highest quality, best performance and most cost-efficient networks.”
Under the NTU-NI Wireless Research Programme, NI will provide S$2.07 million (US$1.48 million) worth of equipment that will be installed at the PWTC.
The research team will be using the equipment to research into the practicality and performance of various wireless techniques.
“This project will not only bring about a technology breakthrough; it will also have a profound impact on current business models and inspire new designs for various wireless applications for the benefit of both mass-market and military users,” said Professor Ting.
