Communications

It feels like Wi-Fi 6 only just got here, but of course technology marches ever forward. Wi-Fi 7 is on the horizon already, and MediaTek has now announced the first live demos of the next-gen tech, which should be much faster than what we’re used to.

During the pandemic lockdowns, the humble webcam has helped many of us feel less isolated, but can lack depth. What we need is the kind of freestanding holograms like the one in Star Wars. We're not there yet, but the M by Portl comes pretty close.

Back in July, Sony launched a neckband speaker aimed at folks using a corner of the living room or spare bedroom as a home office. Now B&O and Cisco have teamed up to supply the hybrid workforce with a wireless comms hub you put on your head.

There have never been so many missions operating on the Red Planet at one time, but even after decades of technological advancements, these sophisticated robotic explorers are still at the mercy of celestial mechanics.

There are two main versions of 5G technology, depending on what you prioritize – speed or coverage. But now, engineers at UC San Diego have found a way to get the best of both worlds, using an algorithm to bounce faster signals around obstacles.

As 5G networks become more widespread, scientists are already preparing the next generation of the communication technology. Researchers at LG and Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft have now demonstrated 6G transmission across a new distance record.

It may feel like 5G networks are only just becoming mainstream, but the next iteration, 6G, is already in the works. Samsung has now demonstrated its first prototype 6G system in an over-the-air test, using terahertz (THz) frequencies.

The UK Space Agency has awarded a group of companies contracts worth £32 million to develop a new "beam-hopping" communication satellite. Called Joey-Sat, the satellite would be able to quickly respond to sudden changes in demand or sudden emergencies.

Swim coaches have a difficult job, as they have to shout in order for swimmers to hear them – and even then, they still may not be heard. The Sonr system is designed to address that problem, using one-way radio communications.

Despite ongoing advances in the field of underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), the devices have remained tethered to the surface via communications cables. Such is not the case with the ExRay, however, which uses light instead.

When someone is paralyzed from the neck down, they can obviously no longer write words out by hand. They can still think about doing so, though, and those thoughts could allow them to type out messages via a new brain-computer interface (BCI).

Stanford University scientists have conducted the first large survey into the modern phenomenon of "Zoom Fatigue." They found women suffer from greater exhaustion following videoconferencing compared to men, and the researchers think they know why.