New technology allows for better communication on the battlefield

A U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research-funded researcher whose work focused on Multi-User Detection (MUD) technology has made radio reception clearer where interference is a challenge for the military in theater. Dr. Rachel Learned’s AFOSR-supported doctoral work in multi-user detection examined the reception of radio signals which interfere with one another. She developed both a scheme for organizing the interfering transmissions and the corresponding receiver processing algorithms. This allows for small, lightweight, real-time receivers that are capable of pulling apart interfering signals. After completing her doctoral work, Dr. Learned has continued to work extensively on the advancement of wireless communication in scenarios in which the number of interfering radio signals is extremely high. In 1998 she establish a research and development group at BAE Systems and began to champion the adaptation and advancement of multi-user detection for military applications. Because of her work and the work of her group, radios have recently been developed that can successfully transmit at the same time while sharing the same frequency.

In Iraq, the MUD technology could prove very helpful where interfering electronic transmissions substantially reduce the amount of critical military communications that can be transmitted today, using state of the art data links. MUD technology allows more traffic on various networking systems, which would be an advantage to military personnel with critical need for high throughput air-to-air, air-to-ground, and soldier-to-soldier communications. “The goals now have shifted toward the development of a prototype that can be built with all the necessary processing on one small chip, so that a handheld radio can be made. Another goal is to adapt and further the interference mitigation work to allow for communication through jamming signals,” said Dr. Learned.

BAE Systems is advancing MUD technology by showing its ability to operate without infrastructure and power control. In addition, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has developed new MUD algorithms to create the DARPA Interference Multiple Access (DIMA) program that is advancing what MUD technology began. The enhanced technology will enable warfighters to dispense critical intelligence during battle without impeding multi-channel interference. Through support of research projects such as the one led by Dr. Learned, AFOSR continues to expand the horizon of scientific knowledge through its leadership and management of the Air Force’s basic research program.