MIT's solution can boost your Wi-Fi signal by 10 times
Modern-day Wi-Fi devices come with a major problem - poor signal strength. No matter what you do, they can't deliver proper signals to every nook and cranny of a place, making it difficult for users to access the internet. However, the good news is, MIT researchers have developed a solution, a smart surface that can give a 10x boost to Wi-Fi signal. Here's how.
Wi-Fi devices deliver poor signal strength
When we try to reduce the size of every possible device, it comes at a cost. Specifically, in the case of Wi-Fi devices, the signal strength reduces because of the shrinking space for antennae. As a result, users are often forced to invest in additional hardware or different tricks to get optimum signal output. Not only is it tedious but also ineffective, at times.
This is where the smart surface comes in
To tackle this issue, MIT researchers came up with an RFocus 'smart surface' - a fence-like structure that acts as a mirror/lens and focuses radio signals on the devices placed on either side. The effect of this 'fence' is such that the median signal strength is increased by nearly 10 times while the median channel capacity is nearly doubled - in an office environment.
How the smart surface focuses the signals
The RFocus smart surface acts as a beamforming controller by using an array of over 3,000 tiny antennae to focus radio signals. These antennae, unlike the regular ones bundled with devices, work in conjunction with dedicated software, which ultimately boosts the reception for users. Notably, each antenna costs just a few cents and their combined power consumption is not very high, either.
No word on commercial availability of this device
At this stage, RFocus is just a prototype, and there is no saying when or if it would be translated into a real product. If the company actually goes ahead with this product, it would market it as a 'thin wallpaper' for homes. However, that would require them to find a way to refine its design as well as lose all the visible wiring.
