Once confined to research labs, millimeter wave technology or “mmWave” as it’s commonly referred to, is now the backbone of groundbreaking advancements in 5G networking. As mobile carriers and other industries scramble to harness its potential, mmWave technology is not just shaping the future of communications, it’s paving the way for a new era of innovation we have not even imagined yet.
These millimeter waves represent extremely high frequency radio signals. A 1mm wavelength radio signal oscillates at a frequency of 300GHz. The band is typically defined as 30 to 300GHz, so 10mm to 1mm in wavelength. A radio signal at 30GHz exhibits unique propagation characteristics, due to this very short wavelength, which allows for transmission of high data, but limits propagation distance. Signals at this frequency are highly susceptible to attenuation, particularly from atmospheric factors such as rain, humidity, and even absorption by oxygen in the atmosphere.
These short wavelengths struggle to penetrate solid objects like walls, buildings, and even foliage and are much more likely to reflect and scatter, making clear line-of-sight propagation critical for effective communication. The reflective nature of mmWave creates multi-path and other destructive interference issues that can degrade performance even in the best conditions.
Despite these challenges, careful network design with dense deployment of small cells and advanced technologies like beamforming can mitigate propagation issues and unlock the frequency’s potential for high-speed, high-capacity applications.
Beamforming Drives mmWave Technology for 5G Carriers
Beamforming in mobile 5G networks is an advanced signal processing technique that focuses and directs radio signals toward specific users or devices, rather than transmitting signals in all directions. By utilizing arrays of multiple antennas, beamforming dynamically adjusts the phase and amplitude of signals to create constructive interference in the desired direction. This targeted approach enhances signal strength and quality, extends coverage, and reduces interference for other users. Beamforming is essential for mmWave 5G performance, enabling efficient use of spectrum and ensuring reliable, high-speed connections in dense urban environments and other challenging scenarios.
Mobile 5G networks would be significantly less practical without beamforming, due to the inherent propagation limitations of the band. Without beamforming, range would be limited to as little as a few hundred meters between nodes. Focusing the RF energy into a tight directional beam is vital for overcoming attenuation, multipath, and other forms of interference.
Advantages of Beamforming in mmWave Network Deployments
- Extended Coverage and Signal Range
- Beamforming focuses radio signals in specific directions, overcoming mmWave’s limited range and allowing mobile carriers to serve users farther from base stations with strong, reliable connections.
- Improved Signal Quality and Reliability
- By dynamically steering signals toward devices, beamforming mitigates interference and compensates for obstacles like buildings or foliage, ensuring a consistent user experience.
- Enhanced Network Capacity
- Beamforming enables efficient use of spectrum by isolating connections to individual devices, allowing multiple users to share the same frequencies without degrading performance.
Without beamforming, mmWave’s limited range, poor penetration, and susceptibility to interference would render it impractical for most deployments. Beamforming is a fundamental enabler for making mmWave feasible in mobile 5G networks.
Fast Bursts of Data Improve Network Efficiency
The real value for mmWave comes with its ability to send massive amounts of data in brief bursts. It’s this ultra-high bandwidth, low latency capability that allows mmWave to deliver a fiber-like experience over a wireless connection. This level of connectivity is vital for applications like augmented and virtual reality, autonomous vehicles and aircraft, telemedicine applications, and scenarios where vast amounts of telemetry are required in or near real time. With its massive bandwidth capability, mmWave supports more users in a given area than previous technologies, solving the problem of connectivity in stadiums and other venues that create high densities of users in tight spaces.
mmWave Private 5G Network Deployments Expected to Rise
Private 5G network deployments, distinct from traditional carrier services, are experiencing significant growth across various industries. According to a report by Grand View Research, the global private 5G network market was valued at approximately $2 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $36 billion by 2030, registering a compound annual growth rate, of 54.1% from 2024 to 2030.
Beyond traditional mobile carriers, several companies and industries are actively deploying mmWave technology for private networks to enhance connectivity, support advanced applications, and improve operational efficiency. Private mmWave 5G networks are now within reach of private companies, universities, and other large-campus consumers who have demonstrated need for this emerging technology.
Healthcare leaders Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic are exploring mmWave as a way to enable high-speed data for telemedicine, remote diagnostics, and imaging. MIT has deployed mmWave networks for research in wireless communication and to enhance campus connectivity. Stanford University utilizes mmWave technology in private networks to support research in autonomous systems and other campus initiatives. The transportation and energy sectors are also experimenting with mmWave in various scenarios that support automation, sensing, tracking, and remote controls.
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10 Fascinating Ways mmWave Technology is Already Changing our Lives
mmWave Signal Processing Powers Advanced Imaging
mmWave is gaining a lot of ground as a tool for imaging as well. Those highly reflective waves, it turns out, are actually very useful for creating three dimensional Doppler image maps. By leveraging its unique propagation properties, mmWave technology can deliver detailed, non-invasive, and real-time visuals. In medical imaging, for example, mmWave is being used for applications like skin cancer detection, where its ability to penetrate tissue at shallow depths provides precise, high-resolution scans without harmful ionizing radiation.
If you’ve been through airport security in the past decade or so, you have very likely passed through a mmWave imaging device. These body scanners at airports, courthouses, and other sensitive locations can detect concealed objects under clothing while maintaining privacy by using an array of millimeter wave transmitters and receivers to emit high-frequency signals and capture their reflections from the subject.
Automotive and Robotics Vision Systems Using mmWave Technology
Future autonomous robots will likely use some form of phased mmWave transceiver along with visual, infrared, ultraviolet, and other active and passive sensory systems packaged up to make a collective vision system that could be compared to the “Visor” of Star Trek fame.
By integrating realtime Doppler processing, these vision systems can determine the velocity and direction of moving objects within an image. By integrating the two datasets, mmWave vision systems generate dynamic 3D images that visualize an object’s shape, position, and motion in real time. This capability is critical for automotive applications as a form of radar, allowing vehicles to detect and track nearby objects.
Industrial sectors use mmWave imaging for quality control, enabling the inspection of products for defects or inconsistencies without direct contact. Additionally, automotive manufacturers are exploring mmWave imaging for enhanced radar systems in self-driving cars, allowing vehicles to visualize their surroundings with greater accuracy in all weather conditions. This technology’s ability to produce fine-grained, reliable images in diverse scenarios highlights its growing role in safety, healthcare, and robotics.
Applications for mmWave Technology in the Home
While still emerging, mmWave technology is starting to make its way into our homes, by making smart home detectors even smarter. For example, old school motion detectors are now being replaced with modern mmWave “presence” detectors. With a presence detector, one does not need to move in order to be to keep the lights on, for instance. Advanced 3D image processing detects the human form whether moving or not, and can be programmed to ignore the presence of pets, solving a common nuisance with older infrared motion detector devices. The improved accuracy and reliability of these new sensors is expected to prompt wider acceptance of home automation and the long-term energy savings and security it provides.
Check out 10 Fascinating Ways mmWave Technology is Already Changing our Lives.