Executive Summary

This proposal is about a joint venture between NUST School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (SEECS), formerly known as NUST Institute of Information Technology (NIIT), Pakistan and Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) Sweden which aims towards development of a novel digital processing unit for Software Defined Radio (SDRs). Basic aim of the project is to design a platform based on existing Network on Chip Architecture (realized at KTH) that is able to provide enormous computational power for SDRs.

It is proposed to develop a Scalable, Flexible and Modular Radio Systems Experimentation and Prototyping Platform (REXAPP) based upon existing Network on Chip (developed at KTH, Sweden), which would provide basic foundation for SDR digital processing. The salient features of proposed platform are capacity, scalability, flexibility, and modularity.

Major objective of the proposed project is to enable, enhance and expedite development of SDR targeting 4G technologies and beyond. For this purpose a Network on Chip based generic processing platform will be developed.

The final goal of this design is to produce a radio that can receive and transmit a new form of radio protocol just by running new software.

The key benefits of this project are given below:

• This project would shape high performance future technologies, that would benefit National/ International Communication / Electronics industry by providing a solution to the rapidly increasing problem of having multi standard wireless networks.

• Successful completion of the project will enable, enhance and expedite development of SDR targeting 4G technologies and beyond, Smart Antennas and Multi-media standards.

• Performance of existing wireless electronics (speed, area, power) would improve by application of suggested platform

• Quality manpower in the field of SoC/SoPC/ASIC design for RF communication will be produced and will help in establishing design houses in Pakistan.