Collaborative Research: CNS Core: Medium: Data Augmentation and Adaptive Learning for Next Generation Wireless Spectrum Systems

Deep learning has shown great promise in solving many open challenges in wireless networking research and applications. Deep learning is data hungry, and one of the critical obstacles towards fulfilling its promise is facilitating the acquisition of sufficient amounts of data to train and validate deep learning models. The primary goal of this project is to devise innovative approaches that enable wireless researchers and practitioners to acquire data more efficiently at reduced cost and to utilize existing data more effectively.

Findings from this project are expected to fuel future breakthroughs in wireless research by making deep learning models more widely applicable. By integrating research and education, the proposed work will provide excellent hands-on exercises, research, and educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at the three collaborating universities.

The project will leverage the existing diversity-related outreach programs at the three institutions to broaden participation from under-represented groups.

A team of four investigators with complementary expertise from Auburn University, Temple University, and California State University, Sacramento will carry out a coherent research agenda consisting of the following four thrusts: (1) Spectrum data synthesis and augmentation aided by generative adversarial networks; (2) Exploiting historical and synthetic wireless networking data through novel transfer learning algorithms; (3) Characterizing the relationship between dataset size and performance; (4) Integrate, validate and apply approaches developed in the first three thrusts on spectrum database construction, RF spectrum anomaly detection, and transmitter classification. Thrusts 1-3 are application-agnostic and focused on studying fundamental concepts and techniques that facilitate the acquisition of sufficient amounts of wireless data, enable more effective utilization of existing data, and enable the prediction of how much data is needed to meet desired performance.

Thrust 4 is application-specific and focused on specific wireless applications where deep learning has been applied and demonstrated great potential. The data, software and education materials developed from this project will be widely disseminated. The project will engage industry stakeholders on project-related issues, with the aim to disseminate ideas and learn relevant challenges faced by the industry when applying deep learning to wireless applications.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.