mmWave Communications, Sensing, and Interference Mitigation

The 5G mmWave rollout has provided users with a subpar experience in obtaining coverage on their mobile devices. The reason for this is that mmWave operates at a high frequency, where the signal propagation attenuates rapidly. This is purely a physics-based constraint of high path loss, and it is the core reason for why mmWave deployments have somewhat failed commercially. My research focuses on obtaining a real-world understanding of mmWave signal propagation by collecting some of the largest and most diverse real-world urban measurement campaigns to date. These measurements are collected in the COSMOS FCC Innovation Zone within Manhattan, New York City. I work with Nokia Bell Labs to measure mmWave propagation through glass, around corners, and over tops of buildings. I also have started to investigate the future potential of using mmWave backscatter as a form of opportunistic sensing, as well as some of the unintended consequences of deploying 5G mmWave on highly sensitive scientific measurement instruments.