# Colosseum: Large-Scale Wireless Experimentation Through Hardware-in-the-Loop Network Emulation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2110.10617 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.10617/

## Key facts

- Cited by 11 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 11 of its 44 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 20 Oct 2021.

## Builds on (most cited first, 11 of 11)

- [Intelligence and Learning in O-RAN for Data-driven NextG Cellular Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.01263/) (2020)
- [A Tutorial on Beam Management for 3GPP NR at mmWave Frequencies](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.01908/) (2018)
- [Millimeter Wave Cellular Wireless Networks: Potentials and Challenges](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1401.2560/) (2014)
- [srsLTE: An Open-Source Platform for LTE Evolution and Experimentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1602.04629/) (2016)
- [Open, Programmable, and Virtualized 5G Networks: State-of-the-Art and the Road Ahead](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.10027/) (2020)
- [DeepBeam: Deep Waveform Learning for Coordination-Free Beam Management in mmWave Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2012.14350/) (2020)
- [SwarmControl: An Automated Distributed Control Framework for Self-Optimizing Drone Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2005.09781/) (2020)
- [An Experimental mmWave Channel Model for UAV-to-UAV Communications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2007.11869/) (2020)
- [CellOS: Zero-touch Softwarized Open Cellular Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2004.03418/) (2020)
- [Scheduling of Emergency Tasks for Multiservice UAVs in Post-Disaster Scenarios](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2010.10939/) (2020)
- [What is A Wireless UAV? A Design Blueprint for 6G Flying Wireless Nodes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2110.02472/) (2021)

## Built on by (most cited first, 11 of 11)

- [ColO-RAN: Developing Machine Learning-based xApps for Open RAN Closed-loop Control on Programmable Experimental Platforms](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2112.09559/) (2021)
- [OrchestRAN: Network Automation through Orchestrated Intelligence in the Open RAN](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2201.05632/) (2022)
- [OpenRAN Gym: AI/ML Development, Data Collection, and Testing for O-RAN on PAWR Platforms](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.12362/) (2022)
- [Survey of Graph Neural Network for Internet of Things and NextG Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.17309/) (2024)
- [CAVIAR: Co-simulation of 6G Communications, 3D Scenarios and AI for Digital Twins](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2401.03310/) (2024)
- [Intelligent Closed-loop RAN Control with xApps in OpenRAN Gym](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.14877/) (2022)
- [Priority-Aware Model-Distributed Inference at Edge Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.12371/) (2024)
- [Robust Anomaly Detection in O-RAN: Leveraging LLMs against Data Manipulation Attacks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.08029/) (2025)
- [GENESIS: Harnessing AI Agents for Autonomous 6G RAN Synthesis, Research, and Testing](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.27360/) (2026)
- [From Description to Detection: LLM based Extendable O-RAN Compliant Blind DoS Detection in 5G and Beyond](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.06530/) (2025)
- [Percentile-Based Deep Reinforcement Learning and Reward Based Personalization For Delay Aware RAN Slicing in O-RAN](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2507.18111/) (2025)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Colosseum is an open-access and publicly-available large-scale wireless testbed for experimental research via virtualized and softwarized waveforms and protocol stacks on a fully programmable, "white-box" platform. Through 256 state-of-the-art software-defined radios and a massive channel emulator core, Colosseum can model virtually any scenario, enabling the design, development and testing of solutions at scale in a variety of deployments and channel conditions. These Colosseum radio-frequency scenarios are reproduced through high-fidelity FPGA-based emulation with finite-impulse response filters. Filters model the taps of desired wireless channels and apply them to the signals generated by the radio nodes, faithfully mimicking the conditions of real-world wireless environments. In this paper, we introduce Colosseum as a testbed that is for the first time open to the research community. We describe the architecture of Colosseum and its experimentation and emulation capabilities. We then demonstrate the effectiveness of Colosseum for experimental research at scale through exemplary use cases including prevailing wireless technologies (e.g., cellular and Wi-Fi) in spectrum sharing and unmanned aerial vehicle scenarios. A roadmap for Colosseum future updates concludes the paper.