Overview

The Future Networks & Communications Lab, led by Prof. Dan Kilper, is a research group pushing the boundaries of communications technologies and networks. As digital transformation continues to accelerate, the demand for faster, more reliable, and energy-efficient communication networks grows ever more critical. We start from a deep understanding of the complexities of communication systems' physical layer and their investigation through experimental measurements. From this vantage point we seek to find new ways to design, control, and manage communication networks and their functions within the large digital infrastructure environment. We primarily work in the optical physical layer, but also consider wireless and quantum technologies, as we strive to advance current technology and lead the development of networks of the future.   

We are dedicated to enhancing network performance and efficiency through an interdisciplinary approach, which includes developing AI and data-driven network control and management tools, exploring quantum communication technologies, inventing new fiber sensing solutions and formulating digital twin methods for network optimization. We strive to understand how these technologies impact energy use and sustainability, and the role of communications within society and smart community applications.  Ensuring that communication technology is person centred and a tool for positive impact across society is fundamental to all of our research.   

Located at the CONNECT Centre headquarters in Trinity College Dublin, we are at the heart of Ireland's premier communications and networks ecosystem. Our unique location allows us to work with leading experts and institutions, collaborate extensively with top research groups worldwide, and play a leading role in major international research consortia. 

 

Visit the Connect Centre

 

Principal Investigator

Professor Dan Kilper

Professor of Future Communication Networks, Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Director of CONNECT Centre

Biography

Dr. Dan Kilper is Professor of Future Communication Networks and SFI CONNECT Centre Director at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. He holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the Columbia University Data Science Institute and the College of Optical Sciences, University of Arizona. He received MS (1992) and PhD (1996) degrees in Physics from the University of Michigan. From 2000-2013, he was a member of technical staff at Bell Labs, and he co-founded Palo Verde Networks, a startup developing optical technologies for AI controlled software-defined optical networks. He holds thirteen patents and authored six book chapters and more than one hundred sixty peer-reviewed publications. His research is aimed at solving fundamental and real-world problems in communication networks, addressing interdisciplinary challenges for smart cities, sustainability, and digital equity. 

Research Collaborators

Trinity College Dublin

 

Dublin City University

 

Columbia University 

Prof. Gil Zussman - Professor of Electrical Engineering, Gil Zussman | Columbia Engineering 

 

Duke University 

Dr. Ting jun chen Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering tingjunchen.com

 

University of Arizona

Boulat Bash - Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Boulat Bash | Electrical and Computer Engineering | The University of Arizona 

 

Chalmers University of Technologies

Prof. Paolo Monti - Associate Professor and Head of the Optical Networks Unit Paolo Monti (chalmers.se)