Next-generation communication systems increasingly require seamless integration of communication, sensing, and intelligent decision-making across heterogeneous terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. This research area addresses the fundamental challenges of providing reliable, low-latency, and high-capacity connectivity in large-scale, distributed environments such as smart and connected cities. Our work focuses on communication and networking architectures that enable coordinated operation among diverse network elements under practical system constraints.

This research area explores integrated sensing and communication (ISAC) architectures that jointly support connectivity and environmental awareness within shared spectral resources. The focus is on spectrum-efficient system design, reliable low-latency communication, intelligent solutions, and sensing-enabled coordination across devices ranging from embedded sensors to large autonomous platforms.

This research area addresses the communication and system challenges of immersive AR/VR applications, with emphasis on ultra-low-latency and reliable wireless connectivity. The work investigates network architectures, latency-aware metrics, and edge-assisted processing strategies to support real-time interaction in bandwidth-intensive and delay-sensitive environments.

This research area investigates communication and coordination mechanisms for distributed underwater networks composed of static sensors and mobile platforms. Emphasis is placed on robust data collection, fusion, and network control in unstructured and heterogeneous environments, addressing the unique challenges of underwater connectivity and cooperative operations.

This research area investigates communication-centric frameworks for autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic systems, including underwater vehicles. Emphasis is placed on reliable information exchange and intelligent coordination to support user-assisted autonomy, safe operation, and robust decision-making across diverse and challenging environments. We prototype in-house robotic platforms and experimental systems tailored to the communication and coordination requirements of these applications.

This research area investigates communication architectures and system challenges for connected and automated transportation systems, encompassing vehicle-to-everything (V2X) interactions. Emphasis is placed on reliable and low-latency connectivity under heterogeneous devices, dynamic traffic conditions, and varying coverage environments, with the goal of enabling safe and efficient transportation operations.

This research area studies cellular and infrastructure-assisted communication and perception frameworks for automated driving systems, with particular focus on constrained scenarios such as automated valet parking. Emphasis is placed on detection, processing, and decision-making architectures distributed across vehicles and infrastructure, enabling reliable operation in tight spaces and high-risk environments using communication and visual data.

This research area focuses on quantum error correction and secure communication protocols for quantum computing and quantum communication systems. Emphasis is placed on improving reliability, mitigating errors, and ensuring information-theoretic security in emerging quantum technologies.

• December 2025: ICAS Lab proudly congratulates Dr. Ananya Hazarika, a PhD student of the lab since September 2021, on successfully defending her PhD. Ananya’s PhD dissertation focuses on the system-level design and analysis of wireless communication frameworks under practical constraints, with emphasis on information theory and intelligent approaches for Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC).

• December 2025: ICAS Lab congratulates Guru Sai Phanindra Peddinti for successfully defending his master’s thesis. Guru’s master’s thesis investigates hybrid error management strategies for quantum computing by combining quantum error correction mechanisms with error mitigation techniques.

• December 2025:ICAS Lab congratulates Ntemi Masanja for successfully defending his master’s thesis. Co‑advised by Dr. Mehdi Rahmati (ICAS Lab director) and Dr. Emmanuel Kidando from Civil and Environmental Engineering, Ntemi made valuable contributions through his interdisciplinary research.

• September 2025: ICAS Lab congratulates undergraduate researchers David Stack and Douglas Nuti for their outstanding achievements and impactful contributions to advancing underwater communications, robotics, and drone‑networking research. They were honored with both the “Best Poster Award” and the “Best McNair Poster Award” at the Undergraduate Summer Research and McNair Scholars Poster Sessions at Cleveland State University.

• May 2025: ICAS Lab congratulates Bryce Lanese for successfully defending his master’s thesis. Bryce’s thesis theoretically and experimentally analyzes the performance of modulation and coding strategies for reliable video transmission over underwater optical wireless communication links.

Past news

We very much appreciate your kind support of our research endeavors. If you would like to discuss supporting our research, please contact the lab director for more information.

Address

2121 Euclid Ave., Fenn Hall 28
Cleveland State University
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2214

Phone: +1 216-687-2538
Fax: +1 216-686-5405
Email: m.rahmati [@] csuohio [DOT] edu

Directions

• Directions from the South (I-77): Follow I-77 north to the East 22nd-East 14th Street exit (162B) to East 22nd Street. Turn left onto East 22nd Street; drive several blocks to Euclid Avenue. See map for visitor parking locations.

• Directions from the South (I-71): Follow I-71 north to the East 22nd Street exit (172B). Turn left onto East 22nd Street; drive several blocks to Euclid Avenue. See map for visitor parking locations.

• Directions from the East: Follow I-90 west to the Chester Avenue-CSU exit (173B). Turn left onto East 24th Street; drive a half block to Chester Avenue. See map for visitor parking locations.

• Directions from the West (I-90): Follow I-90 east to the East 22nd Street exit (172B). Turn left onto East 22nd Street; drive several blocks to Euclid Avenue. See map for visitor parking locations.

• Directions from the West (Route 2): Follow the Shoreway (Route 2) east to I-77 and I-71 South. Exit at the Chester Avenue-CSU exit (173B). Turn left onto East 24th Street; drive a half block to Chester Avenue. See map for visitor parking locations.