SBIR Phase II: Adaptable Ad Hoc Network Architecture for Rapid Infrastructure Development in Disaster Zones

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project reduces the cost and complexity of building modern cellular networks. In grave emergencies such as natural or manmade disasters, and in rural areas where infrastructure for Internet access is limited, one of the largest barriers to digital access is the cost and complexity of building cellular networks. Cellular networks are relied upon everyday by millions of Americans to communicate with others, conduct business, work together, access healthcare and information resources, and power the economy through Point of Sale (PoS) devices, utility meters and transportation infrastructure. Loss of these cellular networks constitutes a major disruption in life, an example being Hurricane Maria that struck Puerto Rico in 2017 and created a massive island-wide communications blackout that lasted several weeks. Even in normal times, the lack of high-speed Internet sets communities back. According to the U.S. Census in 2020, more than 12% of households across the nation's 50 states do not have internet access. As digital infrastructure is upgraded to 5G and even 6G, cellular base station technology is more expensive, requires expertise to configure, and widening the digital divide. This project will combat these problems. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will create new cellular base station technology (the equipment that provides cellular signals) to decentralize cellular networks and make them easier to establish. Compared to current solutions, this project will reduce the cost to set up new cellular networks, by at least an order of magnitude compared to existing networks. The technology will reduce the deployment time and enable individuals with no training to easily set up a large network, even if no infrastructure exists. The cellular infrastructure increases the reliability resulting from the use of a mesh network to communicate and transfer data between base stations. The research objectives of this project are to develop integrated digital and radiofrequency (RF) circuitry and the enclosure for a production-ready base station device reducing the cost by 2.5x and the weight by 2x. In addition, the objectives are to develop a high-performance amplifier to allow the base station to operate on any band at higher power up to 1 W peak output, implement telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) communication ability for the radio and amplifier, implement a spectrum access system, and design a phased array antenna to increase the link budget by up to 18 dBi for the mesh network. 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.