Who we are:

Qoherent is driving the creation of intelligent radio technologies. Intelligent radios integrate machine learning-based signal processing to build more robust, aware, and adaptive radiofrequency (RF) communications and sensing systems that generally out perform traditional radio systems.

Qoherent creates data-driven solutions using machine learning techniques for passive sensing of the RF spectrum to identify and analyze signals such LTE, 5GNR, and more. Our product offering includes application-specific IP composed of datasets and models, as well as design tools that help engineers bridge the knowledge gap between the RF and ML domains. Qoherent also investigates applications of quantum machine learning as applied to real-world RF problems.

Project overview:

Qoherent is investigating offering its services into the satellite communications industry. This project is an investigation into the applications of software-defined radio in satellite communications which will feed into Qoherent’s product planning efforts. The outcome of this project may impact our hardware development plans as well as our software development plans.

Our goal is to understand how software-defined radios are in the satellite communications industry.

This project is suited to computer engineering, electrical engineering, computer science, or systems engineering students who wish to pursue a career in hardware product management.

Qoherent aims to understand:

• Use-cases for software-defined radios within satellite communications
• The workflow of these use cases.
• Technical challenges and limitations.
• Algorithms and implementations of software that are currently used in the industry in space and on the ground.
• Technical specifications, costs, power constraints
• Challenges and opportunities for the use of AI within satellite communications networks (on the ground or in space)

We hope to use findings gathered in the project to inform future plans for product development, R&D, and positioning. We would like students to complete a project with product management and customer discovery activities such as:

• Reviewing the landscape of existing public satcom and cube sat companies to understand how they are positioned, how they use software-defined radio, and how those radios may have been designed.
• Conducting interviews with technical stakeholders across the satellite communications value chain to discuss applications of software-defined radio in the industry.
• Reviewing relevant published works (e.g. IEEE proceedings)
• Categorize and summarize findings into user stories

Qoherent will begin the project with an orientation of its current business, and its plans for satellite communications, and any necessary coaching to complete the project. Qoherent will also provide a starting point for industry stakeholders to speak to.

Other details:

• Number of students required: Up to a team of 3 students, but individuals will be accepted.
• Commitment: Up to 80 hours per student for the duration of the project
• Scope: A presentation, an executive summary, a written report and any appendixes that outline findings of the project.

All activities will be done through Qoherent's CEO who will do a 2-hour initial orientation and follow-up with the students.

We will schedule multiple check-ins with the student groups, but we will also be available ad-hoc as necessary to help guide the project.

The CEO will be available via email.