6 GBS Achieved by Wireless Data Transmission

German scientists have finally transmitted data reaching world record speeds of 6 Gigabits per second. They performed this feat over a distance of 37 Kms.

“Nothing is impossible” is a famous saying amongst humans. Such humans fully believe that if they put their soul and mind to anything, one can achieve their goals. German scientists have proven that the saying holds true. These scientists have achieved world record speeds that are ten times faster than that of what wireless data speeds have been before.

The researchers from the University of Stuttgart, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, as well as the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics, have joined together to create a new world record for wireless data transmission. They were successful by sending the information of a typical DVD in just under a 10 second time-frame by means of utilizing radio waves. This simply means that the researchers have successfully reached their new record by using millimeter-waves to properly transmit at a new data rate of 6 Gigabit per second, over a 37 kilometers. This holds to be 10 times faster than our typical data transmission means.

This new and extremely fast data rate has been accomplished by using efficient transmitters, as well as receivers using radio frequencies of 71-76 Gigahertz within the E-Band of the electromagnetic spectrum. This then is regulated to accomplish terrestrial and satellite broadcasting.

The experiment was a part of a collaborative project ‘Advanced E Band Satellite Link Studies,’ (ACCESS) for short. This was executed by the researcher group that was led by Ingmar Kallfass, which was attending the Institute of Robust Power Semiconductor Systems from the University of Stuttgart, the Institute fur Hochfrequenztechnik and Elektronik from KIT, Radiometer Physics GmbH, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics.

While performing tests of their experiment, the researches had been able to send data packets between Cologne’s 45-story Uni-Centre and the Space Observation Radar TIRA, located at Fraunhofer Institue for High-Frequency Physics and Radar Techniques in Wachtberg. This is approximately 37Km away from each other. In order to properly achieve the high-data rates combined together with the unprecedented distance, the researchers on the project had also designed and developed innovative transmitters, as well as the receivers, in order to completely fulfill the powerful signal amplifiers. This new transistor-based device combined together in a new form for what the researchers labeled as monolithically integrated millimeter-wave circuits (MMICs).

The new circuit increased the entire broadband signal to fulfill a transmission power of just 1W, with the aid of power amplifiers that were based on a gallium nitride. This signal was then transmitted into an extremely high directive parabolic antenna and was consequently received at the receiving end at the other station. These sensitive receivers are equipped with a low-noise amplifier at the other station. While the data was faded dramatically during the transmission, the sensitive receivers that where equipped with the low-noise amplifiers where still able to detect it.

The Terrestrial radio transmissions inside the E-Band are completely suitable as a new cost-effective replacement for a full deployment of optical fiber – as well as ad-hoc networks – in case of a major catastrophic disaster. This can also be utilized for connecting base-stations in the backhaul of new lines of mobile communication systems.

The primary purpose of the research conducted by the researchers of the project, ACCESS, is to be able to provide enhanced satellite data transmission. However, this new line of technology may also be applied in the work of terrestrial conditions, thus, potentially providing a fiber-optic-level of data speeds without the major headache of laying down cables and building expensive infrastructure.

This project has not only been approved, but it has also been funded by the Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economy and Energy. They are completely devoted to make the satellite Internet connections faster than ever before; they are also aiming to enhance the terrestrial wireless Internet access for those who are in need.

Sources: TechWorm, Fraunhofer IAF.

**Please download the PDF of this article for future offline reading HERE**

This article (6 GBS Achieved by Wireless Data Transmission) is a free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to the author and AnonHQ