Latest tests on 6G return surprising results

Man's needs increase with the progress of time and it becomes necessary for him to design something more advanced that can deal with these new needs.

Communication frequencies are just like those needs. The challenge is twofold: learning enough about the nature of each frequency and then engineering novel devices that will work within them. Engineering researcher has done just that for the next generation of cellular networks—6G.

Researchers explained that they have more options for communications at 6G frequency than previously thought. Think of it as something like early explorers suddenly discovering the gulf stream.

The team gained that understanding by performing a series of highly detailed measurements on possible 6G frequencies, called Terahertz band. Their work yielded some surprising results that will help in the design of 6G. Researchers have long believed that as they move up into 6G frequency, the ways in which a signal can reach a receiver will be greatly limited. Their work shows that in a number of important situations that is not actually the case.

Moving up to a higher frequency like Terahertz presents several challenges. At higher frequencies these waves become harder to manage, making it easy to lose connection. New algorithms must also be developed that will allow processing to happen at the new bandwidth. Finally, completely new hardware that can function in this new zone has to be engineered.  

Making 6G technology a reality is an important step towards realizing a whole host of new applications. Researchers have identified three that they believe will be front and center: haptic internet, mobile edge computing, and holographic communications. All three of these areas have the potential to change the face of communications, health, transportation, education, and more.

Their first round of measurements has so far been extremely successful. But many more measurements must be taken before they understand communicating at these frequencies enough to make 6G an everyday reality.