Abstract
From the first generation to the third generation (3G), data communications such as “i-mode” and multimedia information such as photos, music, and video could be communicated using mobile devices. From the fourth generation (4G), smart phones have been explosively popularized by high-speed communication technology exceeding 100 Mbps using the long-term evolution (LTE), and multimedia communication services have appeared. 4G technology continues to evolve in the form of LTE-Advanced and has now reached a maximum communication speed close to 1 Gbps. 5G is expected to provide new value as a basic technology supporting future industry and society, along with artificial intelligence (AI) and the internet of things (IoT). 5G is expected to evolve, and the sixth generation (6G) technology will support industry and society in the 2030s. The objectives of 6G technology include simultaneous achievement of several requirements such as ultra-high-speed, high-capacity, and low-latency connectivity.
TopIntroduction
We are moving toward a society of fully automated and remote management systems. The very rapid development of various emerging applications, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), three-dimensional (3D) media, and the Internet of Everything (IoE), has led to a massive volume of traffic (Mumtaz, 2017). This statistics clearly depicts the importance of the improvement of communication systems. Autonomous systems are becoming popular in every sector of society, such as industry, health, roads, oceans, and space. To provide a smart life and automated systems, millions of sensors will be embedded into cities, vehicles, homes, industries, foods, toys, and other environments. Hence, a high-data-rate with reliable connectivity will be required to support these applications. In certain parts of the world, fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks have already been deployed. By 2020, it is expected that 5G will be fully deployed worldwide.
5G networks will not have the capacity to deliver a completely automated and intelligent network that provides everything as a service and a completely immersive experience (Nawaz S, 2019). Although, the 5G communication systems that are going to be released very soon will offer significant improvements over the existing systems, they will not be able to fulfill the demands of future emerging intelligent and automation systems after 10 years (Giordani, 2020). The 5G network will provide new features and provide better Quality of Service (QoS) as compared with fourth-generation (4G) communications (Shafi, 2017; Zhang, 2016; Jaber, 2016; Andrews, 2014). The 5G technology will include several new additional techniques, such as new frequency bands (e.g., the millimeter wave (mmWave) and the optical spectra), advanced spectrum usage and management, and the integration of licensed and unlicensed bands (Giordani, 2020). Nevertheless, the fast growth of data-centric and automated systems may exceed the capabilities of 5G wireless systems. Certain devices, such as Virtual Reality (VR) devices need to go beyond 5G (B5G) because they require a minimum of 10 Gbps data rate (Mumtaz, 2017). Hence, with 5G reaching its limits in 2030, the design goals for its next step are already being explored in literature. To overcome the constraints of 5G for supporting new challenges, a sixth-generation (6G) wireless system will need to be developed with new attractive features.
The key drivers of 6G will be the convergence of all the past features, such as network densification, high throughput, high reliability, low energy consumption, and massive connectivity. The 6G system would also continue the trends of the previous generations, which included new services with the addition of new technologies. The new services include AI, smart wearables, implants, autonomous vehicles, computing reality devices, sensing, and 3D mapping (Saad.W). The most important requirement for 6G wireless networks is the capability of handling massive volumes of data and very high-data-rate connectivity per device (Mumtaz, 2017).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Autonomous Vehicles: Is one that can drive itself from a starting point to a predetermined destination in “autopilot” mode using various in-vehicle technologies and sensors, including adaptive cruise control, active steering (steer by wire), anti-lock braking systems (brake by wire), GPS navigation technology, lasers.
Communication Systems: Is a collection of individual telecommunications networks, transmission systems, relay stations, tributary stations, and terminal equipment usually capable of interconnection and interoperation to form an integrated whole. The components of a communications system serve a common purpose, are technically compatible, use common procedures, respond to controls, and operate in union.
Radio Access Network (RAN): Is the latest architecture in wireless communication and uses 5G radio frequencies to provide wireless connectivity to devices. A radio access network (RAN) is a key component of a mobile telecommunication system that connects devices like smartphones to a network via a radio link.
Internet of Things (IoT): Describes physical objects (or groups of such objects) with sensors, processing ability, software and other technologies that connect and exchange data with other devices and systems over the Internet or other communications networks.
Quality of Service (QoS): Is the description or measurement of the overall performance of a service, such as a telephony or computer network, or a cloud.
Mobile Edge Computing (MEC): Also known as multi-access computing, is the near-real-time processing of large amounts of data produced by edge devices and applications closest to where it's captured—in other words, extending the edge of your edge network infrastructure.
Edge Cloud: Refers to a middle ground between cloud computing and the edge of a network. This is often not a precise definition because the area between the edge and the cloud is ambiguous.
Internet of Everything (IoE): Is the most innovative and Ubiquitous technology advancement which is going to make networked connections more relevant and valuable than ever before. Turning information into action creates new capabilities, richer experiences, and unprecedented economic opportunities for businesses, individuals, and countries.
Digital Twins: Is a digital representation of an intended or actual real-world physical product, system, or process (a physical twin) that serves as the effectively indistinguishable digital counterpart of it for practical purposes, such as simulation, integration, testing, monitoring, and maintenance.
Mixed Reality (MR): Is a term used to describe the merging of a real-world environment and a computer-generated one. Physical and virtual objects may co-exist in mixed reality environments and interact in real time.
Mobile Communication: Is the use of technology that allows us to communicate with others in different locations without the use of any physical connection (wires or cables) which makes our life easier as it saves time and effort.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): Is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by non-human animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech recognition, computer vision, translation between (natural) languages, as well as other mappings of inputs.
Long-Term Evolution (LTE): Is a fourth-generation (4G) wireless standard that provides increased network capacity and speed for cell phones and other cellular devices compared with third-generation (3G) technology.
Data Loggers: Are electronic devices which automatically monitor and record environmental parameters over time, allowing conditions to be measured, documented, analyzed, and validated. The data logger contains a sensor to receive the information and a computer chip to store it. Then the information stored in the data logger is transferred to a computer for analysis.
Haptic Communication: Is a branch of nonverbal communication that refers to the ways in which people and animals communicate and interact via the sense of touch. Touch is the most sophisticated and intimate of the five senses.
Optical Wireless Communication (OWC): Is a form of optical communication in which unguided visible, infrared (IR), or ultraviolet (UV) light is used to carry a signal. It is generally used in short-range communication.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV): Commonly known as a drone, is an aircraft without any human pilot, crew, or passengers on board.
Brain-Computer Interface (BCI): Sometimes called a brain–machine interface (BMI) or smart brain, is a direct communication pathway between the brain's electrical activity and an external device, most commonly a computer or robotic limb.
Cyber Twin Architecture: Helps out in serving stronger communication and also contains several features that help out in assisting communication like maintaining a log record of network data and managing all digital assets like images, audio, videos, etc.
Augmented Reality: Is an interactive experience that combines the real world and computer-generated content. The content can span multiple sensory modalities, including visual, auditory, haptic, somato, sensory, and olfactory.
Virtual Reality (VR): Is a simulated experience that employs pose tracking and 3D near-eye displays to give the user an immersive feel of a virtual world.