We have talked many times on this page about the potential of 5G, which is rapidly becoming the standard in developed countries. From reduced latency supporting self-driving cars to coverage of millions of devices per square mile powering the Internet of Things, the benefits are undeniable. However, not everyone benefits in the same proportion.to get in the most deprived and remote areas JOIN THESE PROGRESS This is the goal of a project at the University of Sheffield, UK.
What are the main 5G infrastructure and bands?
Deploying 5G networks requires significant investments in radio spectrum and hardware in the form of antennas. As such, the implementation is gradual and has two architectures.
- non-standalone Architecture (NSA), leverages existing 4G infrastructure, but with limited functionality. So the latency is 15 ms and the speed is up to 2 Gbps.
- standalone (SA) ArchitectureThis unlocks the full potential of 5G, including 1 ms latency and transmission speeds of up to 20 Gbps.
In addition to the hardware aspect, 5G antennas are also categorized by the bands in which they operate.
- sub 6, operates below 6 GHz, typically between 3.4 GHz and 3.8 GHz. They are used in urban environments as they have less interference from physical or climatic obstacles.
- millimeter wave or mmWave and operates from 24 GHz to 100 GHz. These frequencies offer higher speeds and lower latency, but require more repeaters to compensate for the lack of penetration. This is the preferred frequency type for 5G SA infrastructure.
3D printing of 5G and 6G antennas
As such, mmWave antennas are essential to getting the most out of this technology. These are 3D printed devices developed by the Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at the University of Sheffield. British universities are Feasibility of 5G and 6G antennas with 3D printingsignificantly reducing costs and production time.
Therefore, the new technology uses silver nanoparticles to Print antennas in hours at a cost of just a few dollars, all without sacrificing functionality. By comparison, his conventional 5G mmWave antenna costs hundreds of euros and is time consuming to manufacture.
Developers note that the new design will allow them to manufacture large-scale, low-cost antennas to reach remote areas and provide coverage quickly and efficiently.criteria such as Miniaturization, speed of manufacture, low cost, ease of installation Define the usefulness of this kind of technology in developing countries.
Projects like this MIT-developed solar desalination plant bring technology, energy and water to disadvantaged areas.This is also the reason for the existence of Axiona Foundationrun a project that takes water, or clean energy To unexplored areas such as Oaxaca and the tropical forests of Peru. Undoubtedly, advances in energy technology and infrastructure are among the keys to developing these sectors.
A New Era in Additive Manufacturing Electronics
We have already seen that 3D printing has a wide range of applications, including metals and biomaterials. In recent years, there has been a shortage of microchips due to the spread of the new coronavirus and problems in the logistics chain due to conflicts. Again, 3D printing could play an important role.
Additive manufacturing electronics (AME) enables 3D printing of semiconductors, sensors, transistors, and other computer components, wearables, and circuits.
A concrete example in this area is a project at the University of Washington that created a thermoelectric device that converts body heat into electricity. To achieve this, they used a 3D printing system that produces different layers with specific functions.
Therefore, liquid metal alloy fillers are used that make the wearable conductive as well as stretchable. The device also contains microspheres that conduct heat to the semiconductor in the base layer. Researchers say this type of wearable can print on textiles and curved surfaces.
Additive manufacturing electronics is a technology with great potential. Some studies suggest that his value has quadrupled over the past decade and could reach about $40 billion by 2030.
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