CNI Laboratories
The CNI maintains and constantly enlarges a regionally unique laboratory, which enables networks of most diverse technologies to be run in a controlled and realistic environment.
Multi-Technology Networking Lab
The Multi-Technology Networking Lab provides extensive capabilities for radio network emulation, reproducible measurements, as well as an operator- and manufacturer-independent evaluation. Complex radio environments, motivated by our application-oriented research topics, are reproduced in versatile lab settings (Software/Hardware-in-the-loop, channel emulation, etc.), e.g., in preparation for extensive field tests.
Key Features & Components:
- Test platform for mobile radio network emulations (WiFi | 5G | LTE-A | NB-IoT and more)
- Real-time spectrum analyzer, vector network analyzer, universal radio network analyzer for measurements and investigations into general RF signals, protocol-based signaling and more
- Channel emulator, mesh network attenuator, programmable digital attenuator for real-time performance testing under controlled conditions
- Software-defined radio (SDR) systems
- Extensive millimeter-wave transceiver systems (dedicated section below)
- Hardware in the simulation loop as preparation for field tests
- Radio field soil moisture measurement
- Outdoor Testing Site operating federal research licenses (BNetzA) for private LTE and 5G, as well as LPWAN networks in unlicensed frequency bands
- 5G Campus-Network (3.7 GHz) | Private LoRaWAN Network | The Things Network
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Extensive capabilities of radio network emulation Reproducible measurements of complex radio environments -
Test platform for mobile radio networks R&S CMW500 | LTE | NB-IoT and more -
Reliable testing of mobile devices in shielded environment -
Sample channel emulator setup integrating Wi-Fi and 5G technologies. Here, the SEAMLESS link selection approach optimizes a desired link QoS metric along the user's mobility. -
Evaluation of various V2X aspects Hardware in the simulation loop -
Evaluation of various V2X aspects FPGA modules with the LabVIEW and PXI platform -
Evaluation of various V2X aspects Integration of road traffic simulation -
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Extensive radio field soil moisture measurement Controlled radio and moisture conditions for over the air measurements -
Extensive radio field soil moisture measurement SDR-based evaluation of underground sensing approaches -
Extensive radio field soil moisture measurement Live analysis for evaluation and demonstration -
CNI Outdoor Testing Site
Contact:
Mobile Wireless Communications Lab
As a unique wireless communication technology platform, the mobile wireless communications lab of TU Dortmund university serves as a flexible control and monitoring platform for extensive field tests and evaluations. It brings fully featured multi-technology network solutions (4G | 5G | LPWAN | WiFi | others) straight into the field and can be ready for on-site usage within hours.
Key Features & Components:
- Ad-hoc and standalone operation with modular configuration principle
- Fully integrated end-to-end mobile network solutions based on:
- Software-Defined Radio (SDR)
- Software-Defined Networking (SDN)
- Commercial/industrial infrastructure platforms
- Fully featured multi-technology networks (5G/6G sub-6GHz & mmWave | LPWAN | Wi-Fi | Satellite (Starlink) | others)
- Radio communications research licenses in coordination with Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) and Mobile Network Operators
- Mobile Mission Control Station (Areas: Robotics/Drones | Industrial Automation | others)
Further Information:
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On-Site evaluation and demonstration | Fully featured multi-technology network solutions ready for operation within hours -
Laboratory workstations enable short and long-term operation Modular configuration depending on research objectives -
Laboratory workstations enable short and long-term operation Modular configuration depending on research objectives -
Mobile Mission Control Operation in various research environments, e.g. Rescue Robotics -
Mobile showcase | Exhibition booth for automotive communications
Contact:
5G/6G mmWave Experimental Platform
The 5G/6G mmWave experimental platform of TU Dortmund University is a unique research and demonstration laboratory in North-Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany. It provides insights into the widespread adoption of new frequency spectrum with the help of antenna arrays in 5G and beyond. Forming an electronically steerable, directed antenna characteristic (so-called pencil beam), challenging propagation characteristics are addressed. For 6G, reflecting surfaces are further envisioned to configure radio environments to the network operator's needs. Thus, high bandwidths can be provided even for demanding mobile services.
Key Features & Components:
- Software-defined radio (SDR) based millimeter wave (mmWave) transceiver system for prototyping and analysis of selected features
- Unique lab setup with hands-on experience of 5G/6G subscriber mobility
- Reproducible mobility for an extensive evaluation of beam management strategies
- Configurable realistic 5G/6G deployment scenarios featuring reflecting surfaces
- Federal research license (BNetzA) for millimeter-wave radio spectrum enables over-the-air evaluation as well as national exhibition
Further Information:
- Video: Digital Twin-enabled 6G Beam Management for Mobile Users leveraging Reflecting Surfaces
- Video: 5G mmWave Pencil Beams for Robotics and Vehicular Communications
Recent Publications Related to Lab:
- K. Heimann, S. Häger, C. Wietfeld, "Demo Abstract: Experimental 6G Research Platform for Digital Twin-enabled Beam Management," In 21st ACM International Symposium on Mobility Management and Wireless Access (MobiWac), Montreal, Canada, October 2023.
- S. Häger, K. Heimann, S. Böcker, C. Wietfeld, "Holistic Enlightening of Blackspots with Passive Tailorable Reflecting Surfaces for Efficient Urban mmWave Networks," In IEEE Access, vol. 11, pp. 39318-39332, April 2023.
- K. Heimann, J. Tiemann, D. Yolchyan, C. Wietfeld, "Experimental 5G mmWave Beam Tracking Testbed for Evaluation of Vehicular Communications," In IEEE 2nd 5G World Forum (5GWF), September 2019.
- K. Heimann, J. Tiemann, S. Böcker, C. Wietfeld, "On the Potential of 5G mmWave Pencil Beam Antennas for UAV Communications: An Experimental Evaluation," In 22nd International ITG Workshop on Smart Antennas (WSA), März 2018.
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Experimental 6G mmWave Platform was used to demonstrate context-aware beam management with an antenna array and reflecting surfaces in order to provide a mobile user with connectivity. -
AR live visualization of the 6G radio environment and its internal states. -
Passive HELIOS reflector boosts connectivity in NLOS regions. -
Unique mmWave Lab Setup for reliable and high performance communications in dynamic environments -
Connected unmanned aerial vehicles as sample application Lightweight horn antenna mounted on UAV -
Connected unmanned aerial vehicles as sample application Rail system for reproducible movement patterns -
Hands-on experience of 5G subscriber mobility Manually controllable movement -
Phased array antenna hardware for pencil beamforming Steerable transmission direction for pointed communications -
Extensive Software-Defined Radio Development Equipment High bandwidth support at mmWave frequencies -
Real-time illustration of pointing directions Digital twin visualises setup with currently applied antenna patterns -
Showcase at opening event of research project Competence Center 5G.NRW
Contact:
Indoor Localization Lab
High scalable Indoor Localization for the precise navigation of UAVs in logistic applications or for assistance of rescue forces in areas with low visibility.
Key Features & Components:
- Multiple Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Testbeds
- Multi-Technology Augmentation including Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM)
- Integration with Robotic Systems
- Scalable Time-Difference-Of-Arrival (TDOA) based Localization
- Optical Motion Capture based Ground Truth
Further Information:
- Video: Scalable and Precise Multi-UAV Indoor Navigation using TDOA-based UWB Localization
- Video: Enhanced UAV Indoor Navigation through SLAM-Augmented UWB Localization
- Video: ATLAS FaST: Fast and Simple Scheduled TDOA for Reliable Ultra-Wideband Localization
Recent Publications Related to Lab:
- J. Tiemann, C. Wietfeld, "Scalability, Real-Time Capabilities and Energy Efficiency in Ultra-Wideband Localization", In IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, vol. 15, no. 8, 2019.
- J. Tiemann, Y. Elmasry, L. Koring, C. Wietfeld, "ATLAS FaST: Fast and Simple Scheduled TDOA for Reliable Ultra-Wideband Localization", In IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Montréal, Canada, May 2019.
- J. Tiemann, L. Koring, P. Gorczak, C. Wietfeld, "Improving the Robustness of Control-Grade Ultra-Wideband Localization", In 3rd IFAC Conference on Embedded Systems, Computer Intelligence and Telematics (CESCIT 2018), Faro, Portugal, Juni 2018.
- J. Tiemann, C. Wietfeld, "Scalable and Precise Multi-UAV Indoor Navigation using TDOA-based UWB Localization", In 2017 International Conference on Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN), Sapporo, Japan, September 2017.
- J. Tiemann, J. Pillmann, C. Wietfeld, "Ultra-Wideband Antenna-Induced Error Prediction using Deep Learning on Channel Response Data", In IEEE Vehicular Technology Conference (VTC-Spring), Sydney, Australia, Juni 2017.
- J. Tiemann, F. Eckermann, C. Wietfeld, "ATLAS - An Open-Source TDOA-based Ultra-Wideband Localization System", In 2016 International Conference on Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN), Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain, Oktober 2016.
