Q: Please briefly introduce yourself, the Standards and Mobility Innovation (SMI) Lab at Samsung Research America, and the kind of work that goes on there. What projects are you working on?

My name is Vutha Va, and I am a project lead at the Standards and Mobility Innovation (SMI) Lab at Samsung Research America. The primary objective of our lab is to develop innovative solutions to enhance the overall cellular experience for Samsung mobile devices. This includes improving communication performance, such as reducing call drops and increasing data rates, as well as lowering the power consumption associated with modems.

The SMI lab engages in a wide range of projects related to wireless technologies, actively contributing to wireless standards such as the 3GPP specifications for cellular, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11 family for Wi-Fi, and various IoT and multimedia specifications. In addition, we have dedicated teams focused on researching and developing cutting-edge technologies for future Samsung products, specifically targeting advancements in communications and sensing. We work closely with our headquarters in Korea to ensure the successful commercialization of these innovations in future Samsung devices. Our current focus is on devising strategies that leverage the unique features specified under 3GPP’s cellular standards to reduce the power consumption of cellular modems while maintaining the quality of the user experience.

Beyond my primary project, I am also involved in other projects, including Wi-Fi sensing, AI for wireless technologies, and recently, exploring the potential integration of large language models (LLMs) into wireless applications.

Q: Please tell us about the importance of your research field or technology.

The significance of my research field lies in its focus on enhancing wireless connectivity, which has become an essential part of modern life. Wireless connectivity is integral to our activities, including work, entertainment, and safety. Our research is dedicated to ensuring and improving the robustness, availability, and convenience of wireless communication to deliver genuine and meaningful value to our customers by addressing their communication needs. Robustness involves providing high-quality connectivity without interruptions, such as preventing poor video quality during a conference call. Availability means ensuring usability in more locations and for a wider range of services. We also aim to offer increased convenience to users through smarter connectivity, such as sufficient network switching and autonomous performance optimization, as well as extended battery life.

Perfecting these aspects can lead to significant positive impacts. On a smaller scale, it can enhance personal safety. For example, better availability through non-terrestrial networks (NTN) via satellites can alleviate concerns when visiting remote locations. In the United States, this is common when visiting national parks where coverage is often spotty. Improved battery life would also be beneficial in such circumstances. Currently, when visiting remote places, I carry at least one extra power bank, but I hope this will no longer be necessary in the future.

Q: Could you tell us about the main achievements and the most rewarding moments in your research, or memorable episodes?

One piece of advice I received while searching for a PhD program was to believe that your research topic is the most important in the world. At Samsung, it’s not hard to convince ourselves of the significance of our work. The solutions we develop have the potential to positively impact millions of users worldwide, which is highly motivating for any researcher.

As someone who enjoys delving into details and understanding how things work, I find analyzing the step-by-step process of establishing and maintaining cellular connections particularly fascinating. This in-depth analysis allows me to appreciate the intricacies of the specifications and their implementations, and I find this kind of work incredibly satisfying.

At SMI, we have the opportunity to work on a wide range of problems and explore new tools. Exposure to different fields is crucial for broadening my perspectives and maintaining the spirit of innovation, making this experience truly enriching and rewarding.

Last but certainly not least, our team is at the heart of everything we do. The positive atmosphere created by my colleagues makes our work more enjoyable despite the challenges. Our team consists of open-minded individuals with a spirit of sharing. For the past couple of years, we have organized semi-regular idea-sharing sessions on Friday afternoons. During these sessions, we learn about and discuss various research topics in a free-spirited manner, which I find very inspiring and stimulating. I am very grateful to my colleagues who take time out of their busy schedules to contribute talks, join the discussions, and make this opportunity possible.

Q: What is your vision for the future, and what goal would you want to achieve at Samsung?

I envision a future where our devices are intelligent enough to autonomously optimize and resolve connectivity issues for users. Recently, I experienced trouble sending an SMS, even though my phone showed a 5G connection and an active Internet browser. This issue was most likely caused by an incorrect network configuration, which could be resolved by toggling airplane mode. I hope we can develop intelligent solutions that detect and resolve these types of connectivity problems so users don’t have to spend time searching the Internet for solutions in frustration.

To achieve this vision, one area of innovation involves utilizing additional information to improve wireless connectivity. Traditionally, only wireless link parameters, such as signal quality metrics, are used. By “side information,” we refer to other available data on the device, which could include sensor data indicating the device’s state and environment, as well as usage behavior. This information varies depending on the device, making robust exploitation challenging. However, recent advances in AI provide a unique opportunity to tap into this space. This approach allows for customization for each user, using side information about their usage habits and environmental factors to achieve the best performance. This goes beyond traditional wireless research, which often focuses on data rates. While data rates are important, they are not sufficient; with diverse applications, tailoring solutions to meet each user’s unique needs and usage environment while minimizing resource usage (e.g., battery power) could represent a new paradigm.

In addition, LLMs could be leveraged. By utilizing LLMs’ logical reasoning capabilities, we could develop solutions that analyze usage patterns (e.g., from device logs and side information) and reconfigure or fine-tune wireless connectivity settings to optimize performance. Imagine having a dedicated technician monitoring and maintaining your device to ensure it operates at its finest capabilities and resolves problems quickly—or even transparently without the user knowing—should any failures occur.