5G Technology World

  • 5G Technology and Engineering
  • FAQs
  • Apps
  • Devices
  • IoT
  • RF
  • Radar
  • Wireless Design
  • Learn
    • 5G Videos
    • Ebooks
    • EE Training Days
    • FAQs
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Toolboxes
    • Webinars/Digital Events
  • Handbooks
    • 2024
    • 2023
    • 2022
    • 2021
  • Resources
    • Design Guide Library
    • EE World Digital Issues
    • Engineering Diversity & Inclusion
    • Engineering Training Days
    • LEAP Awards
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

Using Wi-Fi Signals to Perform Analog, Wave-Based Computations

By dmiyares | December 14, 2018

A pair of researchers, one with the Langevin Institute, the other a company called Greenerwave, both in France, has developed a way to use ordinary Wi-Fi signals to perform analog, wave-based computations. In their paper published in the journal Physical Review X, Philipp del Hougne and Geoffroy Lerosey describe their experiments and what they represent.

Computers represent information digitally, in ones and zeroes—but back in the early days of computing, there was discussion regarding the possibility of using analog processors. Even then, it was clear that such an approach would be less energy-intensive. But digital won out, and the rest is history. But that might not be the end of the story. As hardware engineers begin to run headlong into the limitations of Moore’s Law, some engineers have begun to take another look at analog processing.

Analog processors make use of the amplitude in waves found in electronic circuits or in light waves. And instead of brute force crunching, they rely on waveform shaping, which is done with metamaterials. Early work with such materials showed that such processors could be highly efficient at matrix processing. But efforts to use such materials have run into difficulties due to fabrication issues. In this new effort, del Hougne and Lerosey demonstrate that some analog processors can be created via a simpler approach.

In their experiments, the researchers created a box to simulate a home environment—one with four standard Wi-Fi routers. In the box, they included objects representing furniture and other household items. Next, they applied a panel made of 88 reflector mirrors to two adjacent walls in the box—each of the mirrors was capable of toggling between two states. In one state, the mirror would cause a 0° phase shift, in the other, a 180° phase shift. Finally, the researchers added a control box to run their experiments.

The researchers sent the same standardized signal from all the Wi-Fi routers. They recorded multiple panel configurations to prime the system—doing so allowed them to characterize the scattering of the Wi-Fi signals and then to program the system to perform linear operations. And that allowed them to carry out a four-element Fourier transform.

The researchers report that the processing was faster than it would have been using a digital computer, but was slowed by the initiation process. They suggest that adding as few as 30 inputs to such a system would make it more efficient than a digital system.

Laboratory setup to test feasibility of analog computation with Wi-Fi waves in an indoor room. Credit: arXiv:1804.03860 [physics.class-ph]


Filed Under: Wireless Design and Development

 

Next Article

← Previous Article
Next Article →

Related Articles Read More >

Couplers divide RF signals from 3 GHz to 4.1 GHz
Open RAN test service adds colocation capabilities
2.4 GHz chip antennas connect IoT devices to networks
Second-generation tech extends range by 50 percent

Featured Contributions

  • Overcome Open RAN test and certification challenges
  • Wireless engineers need AI to build networks
  • Why AI chips need PCIe 7.0 IP interconnects
  • circuit board timing How timing and synchronization improve 5G spectrum efficiency
  • Wi-Fi 7 and 5G for FWA need testing
More Featured Contributions

EE TECH TOOLBOX

“ee
Tech Toolbox: 5G Technology
This Tech Toolbox covers the basics of 5G technology plus a story about how engineers designed and built a prototype DSL router mostly from old cellphone parts. Download this first 5G/wired/wireless communications Tech Toolbox to learn more!

EE LEARNING CENTER

EE Learning Center
“5g
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest info on technologies, tools and strategies for EE professionals.

Engineering Training Days

engineering
“bills
5G Technology World
  • Enews Signup
  • EE World Online
  • DesignFast
  • EDABoard Forums
  • Electro-Tech-Online Forums
  • Microcontroller Tips
  • Analogic Tips
  • Connector Tips
  • Engineer’s Garage
  • EV Engineering
  • Power Electronic Tips
  • Sensor Tips
  • Test and Measurement Tips
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise

Copyright © 2025 WTWH Media LLC. All Rights Reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media
Privacy Policy

Search 5G Technology World