5.8 KiB
ADR-270: Vendor RF Sensing Integration Program
- Status: accepted
- Date: 2026-07-18
- Deciders: RuView maintainers
- Tags: vendors, csi, telemetry, simulator, rust, hardware-validation
Context
RuView is evaluating Qualcomm, RF Solutions, Origin AI, Plume, Linksys, Electric Imp, Mist/Juniper, Luma, Google Nest, NETGEAR and Wifigarden. These names do not represent equivalent integration surfaces: some expose raw CSI, some expose derived sensing events or network telemetry, and some expose no supported developer interface. A repeated implementation process must not turn brand compatibility, Linux connectivity or synthetic fixtures into a false CSI claim.
Decision
Adopt a Rust-first provider portfolio with explicit capability negotiation:
ComplexCsi: calibrated per-packet complex channel matrices.DerivedSensing: vendor-produced motion, occupancy or location events.RfTelemetry: RSSI, radio, client and topology observations.NetworkOnly: useful as excitation/AP infrastructure but not a sensor.Unsupported: no stable, lawful or supportable integration surface.
Every provider follows the same gated loop:
- Verify an authoritative API/SDK, exact model/chipset and licensing boundary.
- Write provider and wire/contract ADRs before coupling core code to a vendor.
- Implement bounded Rust types, explicit capabilities and synthetic provenance.
- Test deterministic replay, corruption, loss, reconnect, backpressure, schema evolution and secrets handling.
- Promote to hardware support only after lawful physical capture on an exact model/firmware, calibration and repeatability tests, and fixture publication rights. Simulator success never satisfies this gate.
- Publish code/release and an upstream or vendor collaboration announcement that states the measured-versus-simulated boundary.
Portfolio decisions
| Provider | Classification | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Qualcomm QCA9300 | ComplexCsi candidate |
Implement first physical baseline via established ath9k research tooling; QCS1 adapter ships simulator-first. |
| Qualcomm QCN9074/QCN9274 | experimental ComplexCsi |
Simulator and protocol now; require confirmed ath11k/ath12k firmware export before hardware claim. |
| Origin AI | commercial DerivedSensing, possible CSI |
Pursue NDA sandbox/API and raw-data rights; isolate proprietary engine behind provider trait/service boundary. |
| Plume/OpenSync | RfTelemetry; Plume Sense is gated DerivedSensing |
Build optional OVSDB/control-plane adapter; negotiate Sense separately and do not infer raw CSI. |
| Mist/Juniper | RfTelemetry + location |
Conditional read-only REST/webhook adapter for occupancy, RSSI and coordinates; no CSI claim. |
| NETGEAR | partner-gated RfTelemetry |
Insight adapter only after API access; exact legacy OpenWrt models remain community experiments. |
| Luma | discontinued OpenWrt salvage target | Generic OpenWrt telemetry/pcap fixture only when already owned; no procurement or Luma CSI source. |
| Google Nest Wifi | NetworkOnly |
Use as traffic/AP infrastructure; Device Access does not expose router CSI or radio telemetry. |
| Linksys | Unsupported for sensing |
Linksys Aware reached end of support in 2024; record capability probe only, if needed. |
| Electric Imp | scalar IoT/RSSI telemetry | Optional agent/impCentral bridge for existing fleets; reject as CSI acquisition hardware. |
| RF Solutions | non-Wi-Fi RF/IoT telemetry | Exclude from sensing backend; optional RIoT environmental fusion is a separate future concern. |
| Wifigarden | commercial OEM, capability unknown | Hold implementation pending chipset, schema, offline, calibration and data-rights disclosure. |
Provider boundary
Core code consumes a vendor-neutral RfSource-style contract whose capability
set prevents RSSI, location or derived occupancy from being represented as CSI.
Cloud adapters use bounded async queues, regional endpoints, secret-provider
credentials and explicit data provenance. Proprietary device SDKs live behind a
feature-gated FFI or sidecar boundary and are never redistributed without rights.
Consequences
Positive
- The integration loop can be repeated without duplicating unsafe parsers.
- Product integrations remain useful even when only telemetry is available.
- Public releases make hardware confidence and simulator confidence distinct.
Negative
- Several named vendors cannot produce a legitimate CSI implementation today.
- Commercial providers require contracts, subscriptions, test vectors or NDAs.
- Exact hardware revisions and firmware provenance increase validation effort.
Neutral
- A no-go or telemetry-only ADR is a completed research outcome, not a failed port.
- Vendor status and APIs must be rechecked before each implementation begins.
Evidence and Links
- ADR-268: Qualcomm strategy
- OpenSync developer sandbox
- Origin AI Wi-Fi sensing architecture
- Juniper Mist webhook hierarchy
- Linksys product end-of-life
- Google Nest Device Access supported devices
- OpenWrt Luma WRTQ-329ACN
- NETGEAR Insight compatible devices
- Electric Imp imp005 hardware guide
- RF Solutions company portfolio
- Wifigarden service terms