Project Overview

The aim of the project would be to develop and optimise the latest algorithms targeting 5G communication on the latest reconfigurable platform designed by Alpha Data, based on the Xilinx Zynq RFSoC device that integrates ARM CPUs, FPGA Fabric and RF-ADC/RF-DAC into a single IC. Specific algorithms that will be considered will be those targeting multiple antenna systems requiring sophisticated beamforming techniques on-the-fly, that can be dynamically changed through reconfiguration of the FPGA DSP Fabric and RF interface. The algorithms will be optimised in terms of area, power, and performance.

Alpha Data is a leading supplier of COTS FPGA acceleration and interface cards for the Embedded and Data Centre markets.  Based in Edinburgh since 1993, and Denver since 2007, the company specializes in providing early to market reconfigurable computing modules that can be used to develop solutions and then deploy them on the same hardware.  Customers range from hyper-scale data centres and major communications, aerospace and defence giants to machine learning start-ups and academic and scientific institutions.

Investigators

Professor Tughrul Arslan,
Institute for Integrated Micro and Nano Systems
School of Engineering,
University of Edinburgh

Professor John Thompson,
Institute for Digital Communications
School of Engineering,
University of Edinburgh