NTU's School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering and China's University of Electronic Science and Technology (UESTC) band together to realise software-defined radio through advanced silicon technology.

As communications technology moves from analog to digital, newer functions of contemporary radio systems herald the arrival of software radio. Software radio technology can lead to lower costs and enhanced services beneficial to the telecommunications market, including manufactures, operators and users.

While the worldwide standardisation of global fourth-generation (4G) wireless systems is well underway, developers of 4G systems have yet to verify the compliance of the still-evolving dominant standard. To help overcome this problem and to advance the field of software-defined radio, NTU and UESTC, a top Chinese university in electronic engineering, signed a joint Research Collaboration Agreement on System-on-Chip on 1 November this year.

The signatories aim to advance the field by building core competencies in system-on-chip design and by creating a cohesive R&D team capable of delivering commercially-viable intellectual property – good news for the system-on-chip market that analysts have predicted could reach US$200 billion by 2025. Such focused R&D activity will also enhance specialised manpower training in today's knowledge-based economy.

The NTU-UESTC initiative gets off to a good start with eight talents from NTU's School of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (EEE) and UESTC's School of Electronic Engineering undertaking cutting-edge research in system-on-chip design. NTU and UESTC also look forward to exchanging staff, undergraduates and postgraduate students, as well as jointly organising academic events such as workshops and conferences.



© Corporate Communications Office