ARA in Education

The ARA wireless living lab offers rich opportunities for enhancing higher education, particularly in undergraduate and graduate courses related to networking and wireless networks. ARA can be seamlessly integrated into curriculums worldwide, providing students with hands-on experience and exposure to cutting-edge wireless technologies. For instance, ARA’s focus on research and innovation in rural wireless and applications (e.g., precision agriculture) and its at-scale deployment across central Iowa’s rural communities over 500 square kilometers provide students with a real-world living lab for developing and testing new technologies, empowering students to experience firsthand how theoretical concepts are applied to solve practical problems.

Integration into Undergraduate Courses

For undergraduate courses, particularly those focusing on the fundamentals of networking and wireless communications, ARA offers a unique, real-world laboratory setting. Students can engage with low-UHF massive MIMO systems, mmWave wireless access, advanced wireless x-haul, low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite communications, as well as edge and cloud computing supported end-to-end in ARA. This practical exposure helps bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world applications. For instance, students can experiment with software-defined-radio (SDR) and programmable commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) platforms, gaining valuable insights into how these technologies function and are deployed in rural settings.

Enhancing Graduate Studies

Graduate courses and research in wireless networks, especially those focusing on rural connectivity and advanced wireless research, can greatly benefit from ARA. Graduate students can utilize ARA’s deeply programmable infrastructure to conduct rigorous scientific studies and applications. ARA’s extensive coverage allows for comprehensive research on the performance and optimization of wireless networks. AraSoft, the software system of ARA, enables reproducible experimentation and the creation of software-defined virtual infrastructures. This capability is particularly valuable for research in wireless communications and networking, as it supports a wide range of applications from sensing and control to extended reality (XR) and streaming technologies.

Example Lab Materials:

Lab 0: Setup and Guide
This initial lab provides a comprehensive guide to setting up the ARA platform, ensuring that all necessary tools and software are correctly installed and configured. This foundational step is crucial for the smooth execution of subsequent labs.

Lab 01: 5G Throughput
In this lab, students will explore the intricacies of 5G network throughput, including practical experiments and data analysis. To assist with this lab, two essential documents are provided:

Lab Walkthrough Document: A step-by-step guide that walks students through the lab activities, providing detailed instructions and explanations.
Lab Template Document: A structured template that students can use to document their findings and analysis.

Experimental Exploration of 5G and Rural Broadband Systems Using ARA

This section provides access to comprehensive documentation designed for in-depth exploration of advanced wireless systems and rural broadband. The documentation covers the following modules (from the eyes of senior undergraduate students):

These modules offer a deep dive into the technical aspects of modern wireless communication systems, making them an invaluable resource for students and instructors. The set of modules can be accessed here.

Interested in Using ARA in Your Classroom?
If you are an instructor and would like to integrate ARA into your curriculum, please fill out this form to get started.