EE/CSE - Wireless Institute RadioHound Spectrum Sensing Network

New wireless systems and networks are popping up everywhere to enable new applications and keep more people and devices connected. However, most of this technology is unseen - from the wireless transmitters that are often intentionally obscured in an area to the invisible radio frequency (RF) signals traveling all around us. These circumstances make regulating and protecting the RF spectrum challenging for governments and stakeholders.

The Wireless Institute at Notre Dame has created the RadioHound platform - a distributed and pervasive network of low-cost sensors to monitor, visualize, and analyze the RF spectrum. We are seeking undergraduate researchers to help develop new hardware and software features for the RadioHound platform, as well as collaborate with our team to collect measurements and demonstrate the platform.

Project areas include, but are not limited to: software-defined radio (SDR) and embedded system design, AI/ML algorithm development for signal processing and radio mapping, frontend/backend development, and edge-computing. Current project directions include:

  1. High-speed digital data acquisition (looking toward FPGAs)
  2. Campus-wide spectrum sensor deployment
  3. Campus-wide radio mapping neural network development
  4. 9 GHz SDR design, schematic capture, and PCB layout
  5. RadioHound Software-Defined Experiment Python module

More ideas are always welcome!

Name of research group, project, or lab
Wireless Institute / Laneman Group
Why join this research group or lab?

Wireless systems are ubiquitous in the world and understanding the technology behind them is indispensable. The Wireless Institute and Laneman Research Group provide an environment for interested students to engage with modern wireless systems and research. As an institute, we cover a wide range of fields from biomedical devices to high frequency circuits. Particularly in Prof. Laneman’s Group, we focus on wireless communication and sensing. 

This STRAND project focuses on the RadioHound spectrum sensing platform - a platform for collecting, processing, and visualizing wireless data collected from an IoT network of spectrum sensors. Students will contribute to developing the platform in a multitude of ways including, but not limited to: front/backend development, hardware design, signal processing, and AI/ML algorithm development. Students will also get hands-on RF lab experience, a better understanding of wireless systems, and experience working in a team environment.

Logistics Information:
Project categories
Computer Science & Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Student ranks applicable
First Year
Sophomore
Junior
Senior
Student qualifications

Students should have basic knowledge of Python for processing data and data visualization. Familiarity with modules such as Numpy, Pandas, etc. are helpful but not essential. Beneficial coursework depends on a student’s project, but generally includes statistics, programming, hardware design, electromagnetics, embedded systems, and wireless communication.

Hours per week
2 credits / 6-12 hours
3 credits / 12+ hours
Compensation
Research for Credit
Paid - General
Number of openings
1
Techniques learned

Hardware: Designing PCBs, analyzing experimental data, designing RF circuits, taking measurements with oscilloscopes and network analyzers, soldering, debugging.

Software: Software engineering, source-code repositories, Embedded Python/C/C++/Assembly, FPGA programming, web and database server frameworks, visualization and user interfaces, debugging.

Project start
Spring Semester 2026
This project will use an Expectations and Structure agreement.
Expectations and Structure

Students are expected to work the selected number of hours per week and attend the weekly RadioHound team meeting. In conjunction with meetings, separate times can be allotted to discuss current challenges or progress. Final deliverables include project documentation and a presentation at a RadioHound team meeting.

Contact Information:
Mentors
cwahl2@nd.edu
Graduate Student
cwahl2@nd.edu
Graduate Student
zshen2@nd.edu
Graduate Student
hbicer@nd.edu
Graduate Student
jnl@nd.edu
Professor and Center Director
jhahn5@nd.edu
Wireless Institute Administrator
Name of project director or principal investigator
J. Nicholas Laneman
Email address of project director or principal investigator
jnl@nd.edu
1 sp. | 5 appl.
Hours per week
2 credits / 6-12 hours (+1)
2 credits / 6-12 hours3 credits / 12+ hours
Project categories
Computer Science & Engineering (+1)
Computer Science & EngineeringElectrical Engineering