Lightweight Universal Codec
Contract Overview
Solicitation details, issuing organization, response deadlines, documents, and interested companies for this government contract opportunity.
AI Contract Overview
DARPA's LUC program seeks to develop a universal encoder-decoder codec capable of transmitting and receiving information using any existing or future communication error correction codes. Building on DARPA’s previous work with Guessing Random Additive Noise Decoding (GRAND), the program aims to create an adaptive codec that can dynamically change error correction codes in real time. The encoder will utilize a diverse and easily updatable suite of error correction codes and operate in tandem with a decoder implementing the GRAND noise model. This joint design allows the encoder to optimize code selection based on the decoder’s noise model and other operational considerations for improved link budget and mission-specific performance. The program envisions integrating these codecs into current communication technologies to enhance efficiency, security, throughput, and interoperability while achieving record-low power consumption in decoding. Success will be evaluated by measuring the universality of the codes, improvements in link budget, and overall communication system performance within heterogeneous network environments. To facilitate broad adoption in commercial and military contexts, the LUC program will be conducted at an unclassified level, with system integrations limited to Controlled Unclassified Information. Performers are free to choose their target communication systems for integration, focusing on those demonstrating the most significant improvements through the LUC technology.
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Full Description
Leveraging the groundbreaking work of DARPA’s Guessing Random Additive Noise Decoding (GRAND) study, the LUC program will aim to create an adaptive error correction codec capable of multiple on-the-fly changes to error correction codes. The program will seek to achieve this by developing an encoder capable of utilizing a highly diverse suite of error correcting codes that are easily updatable. The encoder is expected to pair with a GRAND-implementing decoder and the resulting codec will be designed such that the encoder incorporates the decoder’s GRAND noise model as well as other operating factors into its code selection process for link budget and task/mission optimization.
Integration of these codecs into various existing communication technologies would demonstrate improved efficiency, security, throughput, and interoperability achieved by record-setting low-power decoding and adaptive, dynamic forward error correction.
The LUC program will evaluate the success of these codecs and integrated systems by measuring elements of code universality, link budget improvement solely through the implementation of the codec, and the communication systems’ performance in heterogeneous network environments.
To maximize benefits of the LUC program and proliferation of its resulting technologies into both the commercial and military domains, DARPA will execute the program at the unclassified level with performers’ target implementations/integrations not to exceed Controlled Unclassified Information. Performers will be allowed to select their own target communication system(s) for integration and are expected to identify candidates that will demonstrate the greatest and/or most impactful improvement(s) through LUC implementation.