Advances in coding and signal processing for the digital society (ADELE)

Our society is steadily evolving into a fully digital ecosystem where humans are expected to interact with robots, virtual assistants, self-driving cars and a myriad of yet to be envisioned objects as if they were peers. This vision poses new technological challenges to the extraction, transmission and processing of information in wireless communication networks and information systems. The aim of this project is to tackle some of these challenges by addressing key theoretical and technological foundations in information theory and signal processing to provide substantial scientific contributions well beyond the state of the art. Advanced wireless communication networks, which use massive antenna arrays operating in mmWave bands, and the Internet of Things demand new radio and signal processing techniques able to cope with massive amounts of data. Coding is also crucial to guarantee a reliable transmission of information in the presence of resource constraints (e.g., bandwidth and computation) and channel impairments (e.g., noise, interference, and eavesdroppers). Furthermore, channel coding gains momentum with the advent of quantum technology, and in particular quantum computing which nowadays critically implores for error correction capabilities.

ADELE mission is twofold. First, it will develop advanced coding and signal processing techniques for wireless communication networks. Furthermore, leveraging on ADELE participants know-how and expertise, the project will address more ambitious long-term objectives and will contribute significantly to: (a) coding and information theory for quantum computing and communications, and (b) machine learning methods and the emerging field of graph signal processing for the analysis and operation of networks that handle massive amounts of data including, but not limited to, wireless communication networks. In particular, ADELE will pursue the following objectives:

• To develop advanced low-complexity analog coding and digital coding techniques for wireless communication networks. Specifically, ADELE focuses on analog joint source channel coding techniques, and multiuser digital coding techniques.

• To investigate the fundamental bounds of secure communication using quantum devices and devise new quantum channel codes for the classical-to-quantum channels that model the noisy operation of quantum computers.

• To construct advanced signal processing schemes for wireless communication networks with massive MIMO systems, using matrix completion algorithms and importance sampling techniques, among others.

• To investigate machine learning methods and emerging tools of graph signal processing for the analysis and operation of wireless communication networks and other related scientific fields.

• To carry out experimental evaluation of coding and signal processing techniques by means of over-the-air transmissions, or by using IBM Q Experience experimental quantum computers.

By addressing these objectives, ADELE outcomes will lead to more reliable and tamper-proof communications and new mathematical tools with applications in communication engineering and beyond.