Voices from the Lab: Meet Dr Saber Hassouna

Dr Saber Hassouna, is a PhD researcher under the supervision of Prof. Qammer H. Abbasi and Prof. Muhammad Ali Imran. His work explores how we can bring intelligence to the radio access network using xApps custom software components written in C and Python that allow real-time decision-making at the network edge. Dr Hassouna’s journey into research stems from a desire to make wireless communication not only faster but also more resilient and secure especially in challenging environments.

In my day-to-day work, I explore how wireless channel randomness can be turned into an advantage through RIS-coded environments, special programmable surfaces that shape how signals travel and how these can be controlled via O-RAN/xApps. It’s a mix of coding, and real-world experimentation.

We test our ideas in labs where we divide rooms into grids, measure achievable rates, and observe how small changes in RIS configurations affect performance. It’s meticulous but incredibly rewarding to see algorithms come to life in physical systems.

My Role in Cheddar

In CHEDDAR, my focus is on developing custom xApps (in C and Python) that bring intelligence to the RAN, especially for Resilient and Secure Communication applications. My plan is to do the following:

• Integrate RIS into the O-RAN architecture as a controllable E2 node
• Implement secure communication mechanisms using channel randomness and coding techniques
• Simulate and validate RIS-aware xApps using real-time channel models and hardware-in-the-loop

How My Work is Relatable

The bigger picture is this: how can we make wireless networks smart enough to self-adapt, stay secure, and support critical tasks like remote surgery or autonomous robotics even in difficult signal conditions? My work helps answer that by linking physical-layer innovation with network-level intelligence.