NC State researchers are working to make next-generation wireless networks smarter, faster and more dependable.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently awarded $1 million in funding for a collaborative research project between NC State and Yale University called “ARMANI.” The award comes through NSF’s highly competitive Verticals-enabling Intelligent NEtwork Systems (VINES) Track 1 program, a national effort backed by industry and federal partners to strengthen U.S. leadership in next-generation (NextG) wireless technology.
Short for “AI-native RAN MANageability and Intelligence for Next Generation Networks,” ARMANI utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) to let networks make smart, reliable decisions on their own. As 5G and 6G systems grow more complex, this kind of automation is increasingly what keeps service fast and dependable, according to Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Assistant Professor Vijay K. Shah.
“ARMANI lets our NextG Wireless Lab push toward networks that are faster, smarter and largely self-managing, the kind that can support the advanced, demanding applications from autonomous vehicles, telemedicine to immersive experiences,” said Shah, who is leading NC State’s involvement in the project. “It is just as much about people as technology, and training the next generation of wireless researchers and scientists is at the heart of that work.”
Graduate and undergraduate students will be involved in the project, providing valuable education on wireless networking, machine learning and system development and prototyping. The project will also contribute open-source tools, datasets and experimental methods to the broader research community, encouraging wider adoption of AI-native network control.
This award builds upon a strong track record at NC State’s NextG Wireless Lab, NextG Lab@NC State, which has become a hub for AI-native 6G R&D and prototyping. The lab, directed by Shah, developed one of the first families of open-source AI language models built specifically for open wireless networks and helped shape how the industry measures telecom AI.