Cohere Technologies Pushes Zak-OTFS Waveform for Space-Based Broadband

Cohere Technologies has said that it is accelerating development of its Pulsone™ platform, built around the Zak-Orthogonal Time Frequency and Space (Zak-OTFS) waveform, to address the technical challenges of space-based broadband communications.

The company is combining Zak-OTFS with a universal neural receiver aimed at non-terrestrial networks (NTN) and integrated sensing and communications (ISAC). The goal is to provide a single, flexible solution that can support 4G and 5G today, while scaling to future 6G waveforms once standards are defined.

Cohere says that existing OFDM-based approaches struggle in satellite environments due to extreme Doppler shifts, delay, and the complexity of networking fast-moving satellites. Zak-OTFS is positioned as a configurable, generalized waveform designed to cope with these conditions, while remaining compatible with legacy 3GPP systems.

The effort builds on more than a decade of OTFS research and development, alongside collaborations with industry partners and academic institutions. Recent demonstrations have paired Zak-OTFS with real-time neural receivers running on edge AI hardware, highlighting potential applications in satellite communications, sensing, public safety, and defense as NTN adoption accelerates.

SOURCE: Cohere