Researchers from the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien) and the University of Rennes have discovered a new method that allows Wi-Fi signals to penetrate walls more effectively, a development that could revolutionize home broadband – and 6G. (opens in a new tab)
Currently, Wi-Fi signals are reflected or absorbed by solid walls, limiting their range and transmission quality.
To fix this, the researchers created a method that “calculates” an anti-reflective invisible structure to a solid wall that allows the signal to pass through without interference.
Anti-reflective coating
“You can think of it as an anti-reflective coating on your glasses,” said Professor Stefan Rotter of the Institute for Theoretical Physics at the Vienna Institute of Technology.
“You’re adding an extra layer to the surface of the glasses, which allows light waves to pass through to your eyes better than before – the reflection is reduced.”
In them paper (opens in a new tab), researchers outlined a successful experiment in which microwave ovens were passed through a complex, messy maze of obstacles designed to replicate a complex environment such as a living room. An appropriate anti-reflective structure was then calculated and the reflections of the signals were almost completely eliminated.
“First, you just have to send certain waves through the medium and measure exactly how those waves are reflected by the material,” added TU Wien’s Michael Horadynski, who is the first author of the paper.
“We were able to show that this information can be used to calculate an appropriate compensation structure for any medium that scatters waves in a complex way, so that the combination of both media allows the waves to pass completely. The key to this is the mathematical method we developed to calculate the exact shape of this anti-reflective layer.”
The researchers are optimistic that the calculations could create a coating that prevents any reflection at all, and could even have implications for the next generation of mobile communications. The paper suggests that wave dynamics and wave scattering will play an important role in 6G, reducing the intensity needed for signals.
https://www.techradar.com/news/anti-reflective-coating-allows-wi-fi-to-pass-through-walls/
