O-RAN Digital Twin Platform Co-Funded by O-RAN ALLIANCE Powers Research and Innovation in AI and Open RAN
Evolved O-RAN Digital Twin platform enables lab deployment of O-RAN-based networks in a few clicks
The platform is designed for the research community to accelerate innovation at the intersection of AI, open RAN and network optimization
BONN, Germany, May 22, 2025 /CNW/ -- The O-RAN ALLIANCE and the Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things at Northeastern University have successfully concluded the seed funding initiative, launched by O-RAN ALLIANCE in November 2023 to support research and development of next generation open Radio Access Network (RAN) infrastructure.
The funding initiative was led by O-RAN ALLIANCE's next Generation Research Group (nGRG). Its objective was to provide a forum to facilitate O-RAN related 6G research efforts and determine how O-RAN may evolve to support mobile wireless networks in the 6G timeframe and beyond, by leveraging industry and academic 6G research efforts worldwide. The purpose of the seed funding was to be a significant enabler for broader funding of research platforms for next generation infrastructure.
The Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things at Northeastern University, as the funding awardee, utilized the 200,000 USD sponsorship to evolve its Colosseum lab and research platform. The result is a comprehensive, automated O-RAN Digital Twin (O-DT) platform designed for the research community to accelerate innovation at the intersection of AI, open RAN and network optimization.
The evolved O-RAN Digital Twin platform enables researchers to deploy O-RAN-based networks—including base stations, user equipment, and Radio Intelligent Controllers (RIC)—in just a few clicks. The platform automatically initiates data collection, training, and testing pipelines for RIC-based xApps and rApps, and plays a key role in continuous validation of open-source protocol stacks. It is also ready to support future development of dApps for real-time network control and other cutting-edge use cases.
"The O-RAN ALLIANCE seed funding supported the efforts to advance Colosseum into a state-of-the-art platform that effectively enables the research community to develop innovations for the RAN," said Michele Polese, Research Assistant Professor at Northeastern University and PI of the O-RAN O-DT project. "This initiative has sparked the creation of new solutions to tackle the next fundamental challenge toward fully realizing the Open RAN vision, i.e., intelligent and dynamic network control and optimization. We look forward to further evolving the O-RAN Digital Twin to address future needs of modern RANs."
"It is exciting to see the outcomes of the O-RAN ALLIANCE seed funding initiative delivering tangible value to RAN researchers," said Ravi Sinha, VP Technology and Solution Development at Reliance Jio and co-chair of nGRG. "These research outcomes form basis for future specification development within the O-RAN ALLIANCE, enabling a global market of scaled, innovative and competitive solutions, advancing our mission towards an open, intelligent, virtualized and fully interoperable RAN."
About O-RAN ALLIANCE
The O-RAN ALLIANCE is a world-wide community of mobile operators, vendors, and research & academic institutions operating in the Radio Access Network (RAN) industry. As the RAN is an essential part of any mobile network, the O-RAN ALLIANCE's mission is to re-shape the industry towards more intelligent, open, virtualized and fully interoperable mobile networks. The new O-RAN specifications enable a more competitive and vibrant RAN supplier ecosystem with faster innovation to improve user experience. O-RAN based mobile networks at the same time improve the efficiency of RAN deployments as well as operations by mobile operators. To achieve this, the O-RAN ALLIANCE publishes new RAN specifications, releases open software for the RAN, and supports its members in integration and testing of their implementations.
For more information, please visit www.o-ran.org.
About the Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things at Northeastern University
Researchers and students at the Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things (WIoT) envision a future in which people and their environment are wirelessly connected by a continuum of AI-powered devices and networks, from driverless cars and search-and-rescue drone swarms to implantable medical devices and smart cities. The institute is home to world-leading expertise, facilities, and technologies dedicated to making wireless communications exponentially faster, more energy efficient, and more secure. Within WIoT, Open6G is a one-stop shop for Open RAN innovation. Located at the Northeastern University Boston and Burlington, MA campuses, Open6G is a hub for research, development, and testing of advanced wireless networks using Open RAN and AI technologies, and hosts world-leading experimental facilities for 5G research.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Toronto Star
a day ago
- Toronto Star
This Toronto entrepreneur is betting millions on getting to space. Inside Canada's space race
July 19, 2025 6 min read Save By Mark ColleyStaff Reporter This might be the biggest gamble Rahul Goel has ever taken. He's always been a risk-taker, like when, as a kid in Toronto, he snuck a TV remote into class and switched the channel to SpongeBob. This time, though, there's a lot more on the line — about $5 million of Goel's own cash, to be exact. And he's using it to fuel his ambitious goal: to build a rocket and send it to orbit. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Mark Colley is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter for the Star. Reach him via email: mcolley@ Related Stories Reaction Dynamics CEO Bachar Elzein speaks with the Star about building a Canadian space company How studying what space travel does to astronauts' health is leading to innovations on Earth She dreamed of going to space. After her death, her husband is making sure she gets there 'He had the weight of Canada on his shoulders': An oral history of Canada's first trip to space, 40 years later Report an error Journalistic Standards About The Star More from The Star & partners
Canada News.Net
a day ago
- Canada News.Net
Apple signs major US rare earth magnet deal with MP Materials
CUPERTINO, California: Apple has signed a US$500 million supply agreement with MP Materials for rare earth magnets, a strategic move to secure critical components for its devices and reduce reliance on China-based supply chains. The multi-year deal includes a $200 million prepayment to MP Materials. Starting in 2027, MP Materials will supply Apple with magnets produced at its Fort Worth, Texas, facility. The magnets will be manufactured using materials recycled from MP's Mountain Pass mining site in California. "Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. The agreement aligns with the Trump administration's push to move electronics production and critical mineral sourcing away from China. It follows news last week that the U.S. Department of Defense struck a multibillion-dollar deal with MP Materials, effectively making the Pentagon its largest shareholder and financial backer. MP shares surged 19 percent on the news, while Apple's stock rose slightly. Rare earths, a group of 17 metals, are key to manufacturing magnets used in electronics, electric vehicles, and defense systems. China, the dominant global supplier, temporarily halted rare earth exports in March following a trade dispute with President Trump. The disruption highlighted the vulnerability of U.S. supply chains and increased urgency for domestic alternatives. Apple said the MP deal is part of its $500 billion four-year investment in the U.S. economy. The company has faced pressure from Trump to localize iPhone production, though many experts say full-scale domestic assembly remains unlikely due to cost and supply chain complexity. "This move makes complete sense," said Bob O'Donnell, president of TECHnalysis Research. "By focusing on a U.S.-based supplier, it does help position Apple more positively in Washington."
Cision Canada
2 days ago
- Cision Canada
KuCoin Launches xStocks, Delivering a One-Stop Access Point to Top Global Tokenized Equities for the World's Most Extensive Crypto User Base
VICTORIA, Seychelles, July 18, 2025 /CNW/ -- KuCoin, a leading global cryptocurrency exchange, officially announced the listing of xStocks and its joining of the xStocks alliance. xStocks are tokenized stocks powered by Swiss-based company Backed. This launch marks a significant step forward in KuCoin's expansion of multi-asset allocation capabilities. The first batch of supported assets includes SPYx (S&P 500 ETF), CRCLx (Circle), TSLAx (Tesla), MSTRx (MicroStrategy), and NVDAx (NVIDIA) —all tokenized equities backed 1:1 by real stocks held in secure, bankruptcy remote collateral accounts, and issued on the Solana blockchain. Capturing a Dual-Cycle Growth Opportunity: Bridging Traditional and Crypto Assets On July 10, 2025, NVIDIA became the first publicly listed company to surpass a $4 trillion market capitalization. Just days later, on July 14, Bitcoin reached an all-time high, breaching $120,000 for the first time. As traditional equities and crypto assets simultaneously enter bullish territory, xStocks offer global investors a new paradigm of portfolio construction—"with tokenized NVIDIA in one hand, Bitcoin on the other." As the first USDT-denominated tokenized equity platform accessible in the largest number of countries and regions, KuCoin's listing of xStocks opens a low-barrier, highly efficient, and transparent investment gateway, empowering users to seamlessly move between top US equity exposure and crypto assets. A Truly Global Asset Allocation Platform: Empowering Long-Term User Value As one of the most internationally accessible crypto trading platforms, KuCoin currently serves over 41 million users across 200+ countries and regions. Committed to user asset safety and long-term value creation, KuCoin continues to build a comprehensive, sustainable, and robust product ecosystem designed to empower global investors. The xStocks product line is grounded in transparency and composability, with the following structural safeguards: Each tokenized asset is fully backed 1:1 by real stocks held in third-party regulated custodian banks, in a bankruptcy remote structure. Tokens are issued under an approved EU prospectus and tokenized following the Swiss DLT Act. Token holders have the primary claim to the value of any held collateral. Proof of Reserves, powered by Chainlink, coming soon for xStocks. Unlocking Greater Flexibility: Smarter Allocation, Seamless Execution The launch of xStocks enhances capital efficiency and portfolio agility for crypto-native users, while also providing new tools to balance risk and reward across market cycles: Flexible allocation, diversified exposure: Users can tailor portfolios to their risk preferences by allocating between exposure to US ETFs, high-growth tech stocks, and digital assets—blending conservative and aggressive strategies. Unified trading, frictionless switching: Through KuCoin's account, users can effortlessly swap between tokenized stocks and crypto using USDT, without fiat onramps or platform switching. A true one-account solution for global multi-asset investing. BC Wong, CEO of KuCoin, commented: "At KuCoin, we are dedicated to building a secure and trustworthy investment platform centered on user asset protection and long-term value growth. The launch of xStocks is not only a key extension of our global asset offering—it's a strategic milestone in bridging traditional finance and the Web3 ecosystem. Moving forward, we will continue expanding quality listings and refining the user experience, helping investors capture global growth opportunities—all in one account." About KuCoin Founded in 2017, KuCoin has established itself as one of the most globally recognized and reliable cryptocurrency platforms, built on a robust and secure foundation of cutting-edge blockchain technology, liquidity solutions, and enhanced user account protection. With over 41 million users across 200+ countries and regions, KuCoin is committed to empowering the digital economy by providing secure, innovative, and compliant solutions tailored to meet the needs of its global community. KuCoin offers access to 1,000 digital assets and a diverse range of digital assets solutions, including web3 wallet, Spot trading, Futures Trading, institutional wealth management services, and payments. KuCoin's dedication to excellence has garnered prestigious recognitions, such as being named among Forbes' "Best Crypto Apps & Exchanges" and one of the "Top 50 Global Unicorns" by Hurun in 2024. KuCoin has successfully achieved SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001:2022 Certifications, which provide a structured approach to managing information security, covering aspects like risk management, access control, data governance, and incident response. In 2022, KuCoin raised over $150 million in investments through a pre-Series B round, bringing total investments to $170 million with Round A combined, at a total valuation of $10 billion, underscoring its legitimacy and stability in the rapidly evolving digital finance landscape. Under the leadership of its new CEO, BC Wong, KuCoin reaffirms its commitment to global growth, innovation, and meeting the highest standards of security and regulatory compliance. As a trusted and forward-looking platform, KuCoin strives to deliver a secure, transparent, and reliable ecosystem for users to thrive in the digital economy.
