srsRAN: An open-source 4G/5G software-defined radio protocol stack, offering full LTE/5G NSA/SA implementations for base stations (eNB/gNB) and user equipment (UE), supporting O-RAN architecture, widely used in research and commercial deployments.
GNURadio: An open-source SDR framework with modular signal processing blocks (C++/Python), enabling graphical programming for rapid prototyping of wireless systems (e.g., radios, radars).
LabVIEW NXG: A graphical systems engineering software by NI (now succeeded by newer LabVIEW versions), focused on automated testing, data acquisition, and instrument control, suited for industrial and research applications.
MATLAB: A numerical computing and algorithm development platform, featuring toolboxes for signal processing and communication system simulations (e.g., Simulink, 5G Toolbox), widely adopted in academia and industry.
USRP SDR: A software-defined radio hardware platform by Ettus Research (NI subsidiary), supporting wideband RF signal transceivers (70 MHz–6 GHz), often paired with GNURadio/MATLAB for flexible communication experiments.
mmWave Beamforming: A millimeter-wave (30–300 GHz) beamforming technique using phased-array antennas to achieve high-directional signal transmission, addressing high-frequency path loss, and core to 5G NR standards.