- 6G development boosted by new breakthrough
- Using reconfigurable smart surfaces, researchers have discovered that electromagnetic waves can be manipulated
- The research was carried out by engineers led by the University of Glasgow
Research engineers have found a potential solution to one of the main problems encountered during 6G development: electromagnetic interference, or EMI. Using reconfigurable smart surfaces (called “RIS”), they were able to control, divert, magnify and generally manipulate signals, thereby enabling 6G data and mitigating electromagnetic interference.
Intended to deliver network speeds up to 100 times faster than 5G, the development of 6G has encountered various stumbling blocks, including electromagnetic interference exhibited by nearly every connected device in the world.
When it finally rolls out, 6G is expected to revolutionize connectivity, from standard Wi-Fi connectivity to the smart home and Internet of Things and beyond.
Interference cancellation
Previous attempts to solve the EMI problem in 6G research have been made, but researchers found that weakening EMI also weakens the 6G signal.
The team working with the University of Glasgow discovered that their approach to RIS, with programmable elements positioned on the surface, could manipulate electromagnetic waves. These elements can reflect and focus signals, redirect EMI and increase signal strength, and can be individually programmed and controlled.
The team established what it called an “EMI-aware framework” that “fingerprints” interference, searches for the strongest signal path, and uses RIS to direct signals to avoid EMI.
“Previously, canceling this type of interference meant that the base station had to do a huge amount of intensive digital signal processing, and this calculation is costly in terms of energy,” 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 shape the signal path in a way that helps manage interference before it reaches the base station. This alleviates both the computational load and the energy cost of the network itself.”
EMI and Privacy
However, the challenges of 6G development go beyond managing the basics of successful connectivity. EMI could prove to be a security issue, and the RIS solution can ensure that data signals are routed correctly. This also has internal privacy implications, as it may provide the correct data to specific users and devices.
Professor Muhammad Ali Imran, director of the James Watt School of Engineering, who also co-authored the paper, added: “Security, privacy and resilience are no longer optional extras in these networks but essential requirements. Our surface can direct the signal to users we trust and deny it to those we do not, bringing us closer to the secure and flexible networks that will define the communications and sensing technologies of tomorrow.”
Commercial deployment of 6G is expected to begin in 2030.
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