Overview
The OPTI-6G project develops a photonic near infrared (IR) cell-free 5G network, which does not suffer from interference because of the propagation characteristics of electro-magnetic waves in this part of the spectrum and provides universal broadband coverage within buildings from pervasively located optical wireless communication (OWC) access points.
The benefits of applying cell-free near IR networks in buildings are (1) multi-connectivity can be configured with cell-free network thereby improving link quality and reliability; (2) there is no longer the need for building owners to subdivide their non-public mobile in-building network into cellular areas; (3) building owners no longer need to seek to acquire frequency licence or ensure alignment with spectrum usage in the area since the system operates at the optical unlicensed bands; (4) interference between inside and outside access is managed by an artificial intelligence (AI) based distributed scheduler; (5) position and orientation of end user equipment can be measured very accurately.
OPTI-6G Flyer
The OPTI-6G project provides a broadband Optical Wireless 6G Communications (OWC) solution based on a combined cell-free network architecture and Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Laser (VCSEL) array solution. The air interface operates in the near Infrared (IR) 850-1050 nm wavelength range that does not suffer from electromagnetic interference in this part of the spectrum and provides universal broadband indoor coverage by OWC access points that are pervasively located within buildings. This broadband system will provide 1 to 3 Gbps data rates for distances up to 5m from each access point over a field of emission of 25° to 15° respectively and paves the way towards a beam-steered OWC system that will ultimately produce much wider access angles.
OPTI-6G Ambition
This project goal project is to design, develop and exhibit the operation of a Radio Optical 6G, so that it can easily be installed in a wide range of different types of properties and where third-party application developers can develop and exhibit their innovative network services in homes, businesses and public space buildings using the open-source development environment. Example services will be developed in the project such as one that ameliorates the need for using HeNB (Home Network Base Stations) or WLAN ( Wireless Local Area Networks) in buildings and eliminates the uplink interference that they induce. This will have the effect of incentivising all building construction companies to install a cell-free network throughout their new build developments. The OPTI-6G project will be the first project to integrate cell-free sub-THz and near IR 6G network architectures.
