Scientists claim that the new programmable antennas could pave the way for a new generation of 6G devices, smart city-type applications and 3D holograms.
The researchers developed a dynamic metasurface antenna (DMA) that can be controlled by a digitally coded miniature processor, technically a high-speed field programmable gate array (FPGA) – a type of reconfigurable circuit integrated on a chip.
The matchbox-sized prototype is the world’s first to carry 6G signals in the 60 GHz millimeter wave (mmWave) band, which is reserved for industrial, scientific and medical applications. The findings are detailed in a new study accepted for publication in the IEEE Open Journal of Antennas and Propagation.
The most advanced mobile communications standard today is 5G. This network was first established in 2018 and became widespread in 2019. Today, nearly all new smartphones in the U.S. and around the world can connect to 5G networks.
6G, potentially 1,000 times faster than 5G, is the next step, but the technical specifications have yet to be finalized, along with the infrastructure and components needed to bring the network to life. According to industry group GSMA, final 6G specifications are expected in 2028, with commercial deployment expected in the early 2030s.
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“Our high-frequency intelligent and highly adaptive antenna design has the potential to become one of the technological foundations for next-generation mmWave reconfigurable antennas,” Masood-ur-Rehman, senior lecturer in autonomous systems and connectivity at the University of Glasgow in Scotland and lead author of the study, said in a statement.
One of the key features of the prototype antenna is beamforming, which allows it to precisely focus 6G signals on target devices, improving reliability, speed and reducing power demands. The process takes place in nanoseconds. Here, the researchers used “metamaterial” elements designed to resonate at about 60.5 GHz, which can be fine-tuned without the need for complex circuitry.
“DMA’s programmable beam control and beam shaping could be useful not only for fine-grained mmWave holographic imaging, but also for next-generation near-field communications, beam focusing and wireless power transfer,” Ur Rehman said.
In their study, the researchers said the device could have major impacts on communication, sensing and imaging.
One of the main challenges for 6G is the difficulty of receiving signals inside buildings. “This new antenna can support large-scale 60 GHz indoor Internet of Things (IoT) networks with high transmission speeds and massive data throughput,” the scientists wrote in their report. In tests, the prototype reduced energy consumption by 88% and data collisions by 24% compared to omnidirectional antennas.
Sensing with 6G also holds intriguing potential, using the properties of radio waves to detect objects in real time, for use in tracking patients in hospitals and navigating autonomous vehicles. Scientists say the captured data could even be used to create 3D holographic models of people and object movements within an area.
Ur Rehman said the team is just at the beginning of their journey and plans to refine the design to make the antenna even more flexible and performant. Ultimately, Ur Rehman believes it could become a key component of 6G-enabled IoT and smart city environments.
