Turkish professor awarded for 5G coding work

By Selma Kasap

ANKARA (AA) - A Turkish professor has been awarded for his role in developing coding that will play a vital role in 5G telecommunications, Ankara’s Bilkent University said Monday.

Erdal Arikan, who works at the university’s Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, has been granted the 2017 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Richard W. Hamming medal.

The prize is given to those who make a significant contribution to information systems and technology.

Arikan, who will be presented the award in May, was selected for inventing “polar coding”, which will increase the capacity of 5G Internet devices.

5G is due to launch in 2020 and Chinese telecoms firm Huawei has adopted polar coding as part of the new technology’s global standard that will lower chip power consumption and improve the reliability of wireless communications.

The professor received the 2010 IEEE Information Society Best Paper Award and the IEEE W.R.G. Baker Award for polar coding in 2013.