Overview
Advanced Wireless Research at CCI
The advanced wireless research at the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) redefines how the world connects. By converging Open RAN, CBRS, and cloud-native virtualization, we provide a world-class environment for prototyping and validating the technologies that will define 5G-advanced, 6G, and beyond.
Our mission is to lead the shift from “closed” proprietary systems toward a flexible, software-driven architecture where intelligence is embedded at every layer of the network.
Core Research Themes
1. Intelligent RICs & Closed-Loop Control
The brain of our O-RAN ecosystem is the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC). We are pioneering data-driven automation.
- xApps & rApps: Specialized applications for network management.
- AIML for O-RAN: Auto-adjusting resources like power/bandwidth via Closed-Loop Control.
2. O-RAN Security & Interoperability
As networks become more open, they must also become more secure.
- Security Research: "Zero Trust" frameworks and AI-driven threat detection.
- Interoperability: Vendor-neutral sandbox proving diverse hardware compatibility.
3. CBRS & Intelligent Spectrum Sharing
Our Stroubles Creek Testbed pushes the boundaries of dynamic spectrum sharing using CBRS.
- Interference Detection: Using AI/ML to detect "incumbent" users (like naval radars).
- Mitigation: Algorithms allowing private 5G and federal systems to coexist.
4. Network Softwarization & O-Cloud
We decouple network logic from physical hardware by leveraging SDN and NFV.
- O-Cloud Innovation: Deploying VNFs on O-Cloud infrastructures.
- Programmable Control: "Composable" networks reconfigured in seconds.
5. AI-RAN
Moving beyond simple automation to a state where AI is the foundation of the network architecture.
- AI-for-RAN: Replacing RAN functions with AI/ML models.
- AI-on-RAN: Integrating AI directly into cellular networks.
- AI-and-RAN: Coexistence of RAN and AI workloads on GPUs.