Adaptive Space-Polarization MIMO Testbed

A wideband 4×4 adaptive space-polarization multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communications test bed has been developed at the University of Notre Dame for the evaluation of adaptive space-polarization MIMO communications in emulated space-polarization MIMO channels. The test bed incorporates baseband generators with adaptive precoding, a 4×4 MIMO channel emulation system, RF up-converters, a multi-channel coherent receiver, and a host computer. This paper describes the capabilities and flexibility of the powerful test bed to evaluate MIMO system performance. The test bed allows arbitrary transmitted signals to be propagated through emulated physical channels using up to 4×4 MIMO configurations, and channel state information at the transmitter can be leveraged to investigate the impact of precoding. Signal processing and system control are performed directly from a MATLAB environment allowing for rapid and modular system developments with minimum effort.