- 6G development has received a boost thanks to a new breakthrough
- Using reconfigurable smart surfaces, researchers discovered that electromagnetic waves can be manipulated
- The research has been carried out by engineers led by the University of Glasgow
Research engineers have established a possible solution to one of the main problems faced in the development of 6G: electromagnetic interference or EMI. Using reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (referred to as “RIS”), they have been able to control, divert, amplify and generally manipulate signals, promoting 6G data and dampening EMI.
Designed to offer network speeds up to 100 times faster than 5G, the development of 6G has encountered several obstacles, including electromagnetic interference presented by almost all connected devices in the world.
When it finally launches, 6G is expected to revolutionize connectivity, from standard Wi-Fi connectivity to smart home and Internet of Things, and more.
Interference Cancellation
Previous attempts have been made to address the EMI issue in 6G research, but researchers found that weakening the EMI also weakened the 6G signal.
The team working with the University of Glasgow has discovered that their RIS approach, with programmable elements placed along the surface, can manipulate electromagnetic waves. These elements can reflect and focus signals, redirect EMI and boost signal strength, and can be individually programmed and controlled.
The team has established what it calls an “EMI-compliant framework” that “fingerprints” the interference, finds the strongest signal path, and uses the RIS to direct signals to avoid EMI.
“Previously, canceling out this type of interference meant that the base station had to do a huge amount of intensive digital signal processing, and that computation is expensive in terms of power,” said Jalil Kazim of the James Watt School of Engineering and co-author of the paper.
“By placing a smart surface in the environment, we can configure the signal path in a way that helps handle interference before it reaches the base station. That alleviates both the computational load and the energy cost on the network itself.”
EMI and privacy
However, the challenges of 6G development go beyond managing the basics of successful connectivity. EMI could be a security issue and the RIS solution can ensure that data signals are routed correctly. This also has implications for internal privacy, as it can deliver the correct data to specific users and devices.
Professor Muhammad Ali Imran, Director of the James Watt School of Engineering, who is also a co-author on the paper, added: “Security, privacy and resilience are no longer optional extras in these networks but essential requirements. Our surface can direct the signal towards users we trust and deny it to those we don’t, bringing us closer to the secure, flexible networks that will define the communications and sensing technologies of tomorrow.”
Commercial 6G is expected to begin rolling out in 2030.
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