By Nermin Mohamed, Head of Telecommunications Solutions at Wind River
Although 5G networks are just now coming into reality, technologists are already working on the next big thing: the 6G future. If were learning anything from 5G implementations, its that the demand for connectivity is increasing at an exponential rate as wireless communication is becoming more and more essential to our daily lives. From self-driving cars to internet-connected coffee machines, from smart sensors that monitor medical conditions to factories full of robots, the power of wireless is pushing our world ever forward.
Always Innovating: A look Ahead at 6G
As automation surges and the uses of virtual reality expand, the need for faster, more secure communication has grown. Robotic surgery, tel-a-doc services, online meetings, all these technologies are being implemented in new and ever more powerful ways. But each new implementation also strains the available processing power and existing communication channels.
Hyperconnectivity, the trend towards online work and communication has been fueled by both technical and social trends. Entire companies and even industries have moved to online working. And after the workday is over, people switch from video calls to online gaming. From virtual reality games to massively multiplayer immersive experiences, participation in online games has skyrocketed. People no longer come together at an office building to work or at a sports stadium to watch a game. They go online, in millions of homes, to meet colleagues, drive virtual race cars, or cheer on their favorite rock stars at a virtual concert.
The industry is seeing the demand for speed and power accelerating as more 5G implementations come online. Now is the time to start defining the 6G standard that will meet the evolving needs of our hyper-connected world.
Faster than Fast: Technology Progressions with 6G
The 6G revolution will focus on how to connect and control the billions of machinesmacro to micro to nanoin our digital future. The 6G standard will truly be a next-generation communications standard.
Two key drivers for building 6G are increased speed and lower latency. People are already talking about 1 terabyte per second speed. Lets put that into perspective. With 5G, you can download a movie in under a minute. With 6G? Youll be able to download more than 140 hours of movies in that same minute. Along with that lightning-fast speed will come extreme reliability. No more lost connections, timeouts, or pixelated video calls. Faster, more reliable connectivity will provide a seamless and powerful online user experience. Whether youre holding a project review with a global team or competing with your buddies in a Formula 1 race, 6G will definitely be a game-changer for all of us.
Imagine a 6G World
In the business world, the power of 6G will transform the way we work and meet. Think of having high-fidelity mobile holograms at the touch of a button. You can have a conversation with a coworker as if you were both sitting at the same table in the corner coffee shop. Meetings can go truly virtual, reducing the need for long-haul flights and massive in-person conferences.
Medicine can use 6G to provide faster emergency response to wider coverage areas, diagnosing and prescribing treatment across continents. Doctors can train and supervise assistants in local communities across the country, providing faster and better medical treatment.
And lets not forget online gamers, who have often pushed the limits of virtual reality. With the speed of 6G, online games and competitions can be transformed into truly immersive Extended Reality (XR), complete with smart wearables, headsets, and even implants.
Speed and Power: What 6G Might Look Like
6G will be a massive leap forward in performance, even compared to the new 5G networks now being rolled out. 6G will operate on terahertz (THz) bands from 100GHz to 10THz, delivering a peak data rate of 1000 gigabits/second with air latency lower than 100 microseconds. 6G will be 50 times faster than 5G, 100 times more reliable, offer wider coverage, and support 10 times more devices per square kilometer.
With that kind of speed and power, its hard to say exactly what the 6G architecture will look like. Early discussions predict advanced levels of automation and connectivity, from cars and drones to mobile devices and more in homes and industries. 6G may also include optimizations that improve network design and overcome the current limitations of mobile devices. Advanced edge computing and powerful AI systems will leverage 6Gs lightning fast speed and instantaneous latency to coordinate complex systems like road traffic and stock markets.
Navigating 6G Hurdles
There are, however, challenges to overcome in designing the 6G standard and implementations, including high-spectrum path loss, high computation requirements, and massive amounts of real-time information. Meeting these challenges will require collaboration, openness, and cloud technology across a wide range of industries.
As billions of machines are connected to each other, AI will play an ever larger and more important role in managing many aspects of 6G systems and infrastructure. Building these AI systems will be challenging but the payoffs will be increased performance, lowered costs, and a wider range of useful services.
When is 6G Coming?
Right now, 6G is in the early research phase. 5G may be the new thing right now, but technical evolution doesnt wait. Technologists and scientists are already studying what the 6G standard might encompass.
Past rollouts of 3G (2000), 4G (2010) and 5G (2020) happened every ten years or so. Some in the industry look to 2028 as the timetable for completing the definition of the 6G standard, with earliest commercial efforts following to test the standard and flesh out implementation details. Larger, commercial deployments would start sometime after that, perhaps in 2030.
Wind River and the 6G Vision
Wind River is already working to envision the 6G future. As we focus on assisting our customers with successful commercial 5G deployments, we are also looking ahead to prepare for 6G. We are increasingly engaged in the early stages of 6G, from standardization, openness, and ecosystem commercialization to planning on how to leverage 6G in our Operator offering.
Whether its 5G networks today or the 6G revolution in the future, Wind River is committed to the success of our customers.
Read more:
Envisioning the 6G Future - WIND
- Fans still waiting for a virtual reality view of the Buffalo Bills' new ... - Buffalo News - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- Immerse yourself in new, augmented worlds - University of Miami: News@theU - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- Who are the leading innovators in vehicle digital twins for the ... - just-auto.com - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- How Virtual and Augmented Reality Are Redefining Construction - TimesTech - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- Virtualware Appoints VRARA's John A Cunningham to Advisory Board - XR Today - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- University Project Aims to Dissolve Borders Between Virtual and ... - XR Today - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- Are real cadavers better than virtual ones? - Slate - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- Samsung Glasses could be the name of a new pair of Samsung ... - TechRadar - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- The Best Augmented Reality Accessories for AR Immersion - XR Today - November 28th, 2023 [November 28th, 2023]
- The best VR apps for 2022 | Digital Trends - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- What is virtual reality? - TechTarget - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Forget the metaverse, Sony's PlayStation VR2 will make you a virtual reality believer again - British GQ - February 18th, 2023 [February 18th, 2023]
- Time to play! New virtual reality gaming coming to Northern Virginia - WUSA9.com - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- Virtual reality training content launched for footwear and leather sector - The Hindu - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- Texas A&M researchers are using multisensory virtual reality to help NASA astronauts - KAGSTV.com - January 31st, 2023 [January 31st, 2023]
- Hollywoods Virtual Reality Guru and American Millionaire Expanded His Soccer Portfolio to Europe With a Deal Worth $940 Million - EssentiallySports - January 8th, 2023 [January 8th, 2023]
- TikTok owner ByteDance takes first step into virtual reality with ... - December 26th, 2022 [December 26th, 2022]
- Virtual Reality inspires students to think about long-term careers - Turn to 10 - December 21st, 2022 [December 21st, 2022]
- Virtual Reality Arcade with Best VR Game Experiences - Main Event - December 12th, 2022 [December 12th, 2022]
- Virtual Reality - reddit - November 16th, 2022 [November 16th, 2022]
- The Future Of Virtual Reality (VR) - Forbes - November 16th, 2022 [November 16th, 2022]
- Virtual Reality (VR) For Professional Workflows | NVIDIA - October 28th, 2022 [October 28th, 2022]
- Virtual reality in fiction - Wikipedia - October 28th, 2022 [October 28th, 2022]
- Meta will release a new consumer-grade VR headset next year - TechCrunch - October 28th, 2022 [October 28th, 2022]
- Virtual Reality [VR] Market Size & Share | Forecast Report, 2029 - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Virtual Reality in the Healthcare Industry - VISUALISE - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Virtual Reality vs. Augmented Reality vs. Mixed Reality - Intel - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- Applications Of Virtual Reality - Virtual Reality Society - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- The Global Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality In Manufacturing Market size is expected to reach $27.9 billion by 2028, rising at a market growth... - October 25th, 2022 [October 25th, 2022]
- We Met in Virtual Reality Explores the Potential of the Metaverse - Seven Days - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- What If the Metaverse Is Better Without Virtual Reality? - WIRED - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- XRHealth and HTC Introduce The First Distraction Therapy Virtual Reality Platform to Improve Patient Experience During Painful or Anxiety Provoking... - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Department of Corrections Introduces Virtual Reality Technology to Augment Programming for Incarcerated Parents and Their Children - Pennsylvania... - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Arden Bendler Browning conquers virtual reality, Luve More LC + Thinkers Makers Society, and opportunity - theartblog.org - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- How Virtual or Augmented Reality Can Help Your Packaging Line - Packaging Digest - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- A marriage of virtual reality and physical therapy: Immergo Labs emerges from its UCSC roots - Lookout Santa Cruz - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Senior living residents explore the world through virtual reality - Rocky Mountain PBS - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Orthopedic Residency Program and PrecisionOS Team up For Exclusive 3-Year Collaboration: Virtual Reality Development and Curriculum Integration - PR... - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- 6 Insightful Construction XR Cases to Read in 2022 - XR Today - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Video footage emerges from an MMA event that put virtual reality users into the thick of the fighting action - Yahoo News - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Carmack: Theres a bunch that Im grumpy about in virtual reality - Ars Technica - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- The Peripheral Co-Creator on the Shows Line Between Reality & Virtual Reality - TV Insider - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Clarkson's Dr. Dana Barry Gave a Presentation at International Conference in Italy - Clarkson University News - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Apple VR glove with finger- and hand-tracking patent hints at companion accessories for the "Reality Pro" headset - Notebookcheck.net - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- Virtual reality spectacle of 2010 sockeye run returns to Shuswap Salmon Arm Observer - Salmon Arm Observer - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- The virtual reality push brings together Microsoft, Meta and the art of war - Stuff - October 19th, 2022 [October 19th, 2022]
- What Is Virtual Reality All About? - Oculus VR - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- What Is Virtual Reality? | Tech & Learning - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- 10 Advantages And Disadvantages Of Virtual Reality (2022) - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Insights on the Tactile Virtual Reality Global Market Research Report to 2027 - Growing Advancements in Virtual Reality Products & Rising... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Each guest experience will be different: VR and the future of theme parks - The Guardian - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Get your own personal holodeck with the HP Reverb G2 VR headset, now over $100 off at Amazon - Space.com - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Highway workers got a dose of virtual reality to help keep them safe - WVXU - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- IDC Tracker Sees a Long Road Ahead for Augmented Reality Headsets - Business Wire - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Anti-virtual reality note included with Northeastern explosive package - GBH News - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Virtual Reality (VR) Headset Market Projected to Hit USD 57.65 Billion at a 28.50% CAGR by 2030 - Report by Market Research Future (MRFR) -... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Perspectus and The University of Charleston Offer Next Generation Virtual Reality Education Lab - Business Wire - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Virtual reality: Veteran on virtual trips around the world - VA News - Veterans Affairs (.gov) - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Malden Dancer Part Of Upcoming Augmented Reality Dance Project - Patch - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Cognitive load, fatigue and aversive simulator symptoms but not manipulated zeitgebers affect duration perception in virtual reality | Scientific... - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- The Joys and Horrors of Virtual Reality in Anime - Otaku USA Magazine - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Robot skull measures VR and AR headsets from any angle - MIXED Reality News - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Why VR could be the new dawn of pain, anxiety management - MedCity News - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- Disney Releases First AR Short Film; Is Virtual Reality the Future of Streaming at Disney+? - The Streamable - September 20th, 2022 [September 20th, 2022]
- virtual reality gaming (VR gaming) - WhatIs.com - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Worlds Most Immersive Virtual Reality Experience, Sandbox VR, is Coming Soon to Park Meadows - Yahoo Finance - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Virtual Reality Becomes Actual Reality for Title I Schools Across the Nation - PR Newswire - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Why is VR so important to the metaverse? - Verdict - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Worldwide Virtual Reality in Gaming Industry to 2027 - Rising Research Activities in the Field of VR is Driving Growth - Yahoo Finance - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Clocking In at the Virtual Reality Kmart - WIRED - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Virtual Reality Market to Register Impressive Expansion of - GlobeNewswire - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Welcome to the iDome: Concept offers virtual-reality riding therapy without a headset - Horsetalk - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Virtual Reality for Diversity and Inclusion - ATD - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Meta's 'Project Cambria' Virtual Reality Product to Launch This Fall - The National Interest Online - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Could virtual reality be the future of poultry health? - Food Safety News - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Virtual Reality: Taking the Online Dating Game to New Heights - TechSpective - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- POSITIVE VIBES: The positive vibes of virtual reality - Finger Lakes Times - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Planning Commission to hear request for virtual reality arcade in downtown Carson City - Carson Now - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- The Impact of Augmented Reality on the Gaming Industry in India - GLYFE Nation - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]
- Oshkosh PD: Virtual reality simulator is proving to be a useful tool - WGBA NBC 26 in Green Bay - September 2nd, 2022 [September 2nd, 2022]