Thursday, October 5, 2006
Software-Defined Radio Under Discussion
Posted by Janak Parekh in "NEWS" @ 02:00 PM
"The problem of compatibility between wireless devices is being addressed at an international conference this week. Scientists will be discussing what has been dubbed 'Tower of Babel' technology - software that can converge different wireless gadgets into a single device. The aim for Software Defined Radio (SDR) is to be able to translate and understand any kind of radio wave signal, such as 3G or wi-fi. Researchers say SDR gadgets could become commonplace in five to 10 years."
To me, this is the true holy grail: a software radio that may, one day, support competing 3G standards and WiFi and support future protocols via something as simple as a firmware update. (Well, I may have to settle without the future protocol aspect; I'm guessing that if carriers ever carry SDR-enabled devices, they'll want to ensure the devices aren't that upgradeable, as they make a decent amount of money on the sale of a new device. Still, this would be exciting and could usher in a new era of wireless devices -- and more rapid releases across different technologies.)
To me, this is the true holy grail: a software radio that may, one day, support competing 3G standards and WiFi and support future protocols via something as simple as a firmware update. (Well, I may have to settle without the future protocol aspect; I'm guessing that if carriers ever carry SDR-enabled devices, they'll want to ensure the devices aren't that upgradeable, as they make a decent amount of money on the sale of a new device. Still, this would be exciting and could usher in a new era of wireless devices -- and more rapid releases across different technologies.)
