One of the anticipated features of 6G is a technology that many might not associate with mobile communications. It seems like the next generation of mobile communications may be able to sense the environment and the objects in it, paving the way for possible new use cases. Companies including InterDigital are already working on developing the technology.
As radio frequency signals used for wireless communications travel from transmitter to receiver, they bounce off objects in their path. This causes changes which can be detected and analyzed to create a model of objects in an area without other sensors or a camera.
Sensing is being integrated in 6G standards by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and several companies are already working on making it a reality. The 3GPP has even put together a list of 32 potential use cases, ranging from spotting home intrusion and rainfall detection to traffic monitoring and industrial applications, or even "coarse gesture recognition" – which focuses on controling machines without touch, rather than gestures that may really be perceived as coarse.
At the recent opening of a new office in London, InterDigital – a company involved in the development of wireless technologies – showed journalists and analysts the technology that could make all this happen.
This included a transmitter and receiver, alongside reflective intelligent surfaces to help fine-tune a signal to best adapt to the conditions. Once deployed, this can be used to distinguish between objects in an area.
InterDigital also showcased a similar solution earlier this year at Mobile World Congress – and again at the office opening – which consisted of a vehicle equipped with sensors to detect when it is entering a high-risk zone, simulating work in industrial settings.
Who will benefit?
Other companies have become involved, too. Nokia Bell Labs has created a setting where a robot is being monitored through a prototype 6G network. A signal processing unit detects the range, distance and reflective strength of the robot, with the company saying the solution works in a similar way to a radar without requiring the installation of an actual radar.
Still, it seems like some obstacles have yet to be overcome. In a blog post from earlier this year, Ericsson's principal researcher for radio concepts and performance, Robert Baldemair, pointed to line-of-sight requirements as a potential hurdle. While some applications including detection and tracking of unmanned aerial vehicles – which he calls one of the most discussed use cases – aren't particularly affected by this, it may require some mitigation for ground targets. Another possible problem is interference with communications on a basestation level.
It sounds like 6G may be more than somewhat better mobile Internet – a criticism sometimes leveled against its predecessor. Most consumers would likely struggle to point out a distinguishing feature associated with 5G even if it has brought operators more efficiency and opened up possibilities in enterprise applications. Sensing could help 6G to avoid that fate.
With many sensing technologies like radar, LiDAR and AI-enhanced cameras already on offer, it will be interesting to see if and in what areas 6G sensing will actually find real-life applications.
And an equally important question for the telecom industry is who will profit. While 4G unleashed countless innovative apps, telcos may not feel like they were the ones who captured most of the income.
Read more about:
EuropeYou May Also Like
