SoRDS: platform for voice/video/network radio

PAR Rome Research Corporation (RRC), in conjunction with AFRL (Rome Research Site, RRS), have developed a software radio development system (SoRDS) as a testbed for the development, evaluation and verification of communications waveforms. SoRDS is based on a heterogeneous multiprocessor hardware configuration running a real-time Linux operating system. The integration of multiple conventional processors with adaptive computing systems, i.e., field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), provides a platform for the rapid implementation and optimization of computationally intense waveform algorithms on a real-time system. We describe the SoRDS hardware/software configuration and how this is well suited for a real-time communications testbed. A number of different waveforms and applications have been implemented on SoRDS and are also presented These include narrowband voice, wideband video, error correction to assure data transfer and a networked radio configuration. Finally, plans for future utilization and extensions of SoRDS capabilities are discussed.