Researchers develop multi-gigabit WiFi

A research group from the Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) at Georgia Tech has recently released a study demonstrating high-speed wireless data transfers at a staggering 15Gbps at a one meter range. The system is still in its infancy, as data rates drop off steeply with just a little added distance (10Gbps at two meters, 5Gbps at five meters), but the possibilities for speeds of this sort are promising. At 10Gbps, researches say you could download the entire DVD of Beaches to a cellphone in five seconds, although the ultra-high frequency 60GHz band used for transmission is unable to pass through human skin, creating line-of-sight issues which engineers have yet to unkink. The standard, which will be called 802.15.3C, will probably be used for Personal Access Networks, like content kiosks, where all data is swapped in direct line-of-sight. Plans for the future include lowering power consumption, increasing bandwidth, and downloading all nine seasons of the X-Files to a BlackBerry in one minute.

[L.Rawlins @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:22AM]

RIP Bluetooth.

[J?n Adam Holen @ Jul 23rd 2007 3:28AM]

well Bluetooth is a bit better than line of site, more like RIP IR, but then again IR is allready dead for data comunication.

[Nasty Mind @ Work and Oh Yeah, 10 GBps FTW @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:22AM]

Whoa, engadget you read my mind. I was just imagining how hot Bette Midler be on a private beach just me and her and............ Hey, get your on fantasy.

[blackfeather @ Jul 23rd 2007 11:08AM]

eeeww...

[producerism @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:25AM]

heh, best graphic yet.

[roundabout @ Jul 22nd 2007 7:30AM]

"At 10Gbps, researches say you could download the entire DVD of Beaches to a cellphone in five seconds"

If that's really the best use for this technology, then I don't want it.

[yoshi @ Jul 22nd 2007 8:20AM]

Beaches??? What kind of nerds are they down in Georgia?

[TheBigB @ Jul 22nd 2007 9:43AM]

Look at the guy's face on the picture... -.-

[Chuckles McGee @ Jul 22nd 2007 10:11AM]

15 Gbps is pretty impressive at any distance...

[RedBull Runner @ Jul 22nd 2007 11:04AM]

"although the ultra-high frequency 60GHz band used for transmission is unable to pass through human skin" hmm... does this mean no more "WiFi is / is not dangerous" articles?

i mean seriously, if it gives me cancer, I don't want it. Unless it enables me to download porn as quick as I can click, that is.

[Wwhat @ Jul 22nd 2007 11:56AM]

Double humour, beaches & cellphone.
If I convert a movie to cellphone resolution I can transfer it over bluetooth in seconds too incidentally :)
And that's where most of us watch 123 minute tearjerkers of course, on our cellphones.

[Wwhat @ Jul 22nd 2007 12:01PM]

The whole thing does put ethernet cables a bit to shame doesn't it? how come they can't get ethernet to more than 1Gbit and if it's tied to the PCI paths not even past 300Kbit, yet wireless USB and this kind of thing beats it?
Bit of a upsidedown world seems to me.
Perhaps they should make the CPU RAM interconnects wireless and so greatly improve performance (I did hear they actually wanted to go fiberoptics with it once)

[Marc w. @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:30PM]

actually they're a little hard to find but I've seen 10GB Ethernet adapters that use c5e/c6, and aren't they working on 100GB for the next standard?

[sfokevin @ Jul 22nd 2007 1:08PM]

I would say his family jewels are about 1 meter from his invention... Wonder what the thruput of RF energy they are experiencing?....

[E71 @ Jul 22nd 2007 2:27PM]

Such a damn shame whatever is invented takes years before it's available to us. Wouldn't it be cool if we invent something today and the next day it's on everyone's doorstop?!

[ethana2 @ Jul 22nd 2007 5:55PM]

Whoa, hold on- you're talking about the demise of the patent system there!

I'm all for it though, of course. Anything that slows the implementation of a good idea by the masses needs to be taken out and shot. Inventing is something a lot of people do for fun anyway. I think stuff up for fun- and the more people know about open source software, the fewer will see any barrier to putting their ideas through simulation and potential production without corporate backing.

[Addy @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:14PM]

9 seasons of the X-Files to a BlackBerry...?

Did someone release a BlackBerry with a built in 30 gig hard-drive without telling me?.

I'm always the last to know these things.. *sigh*

[Mike Salem @ Jul 22nd 2007 8:36PM]

Why does the article only talk about getting data on cell phones? If this is wifi couldnt it allow for an incredible improvement on pcs or video game consoles? My router is no more than 5 feet away from my PC, TV and Xbox 360 so 15 GB/s on thoes? Yes please.

[OddManOut @ Jul 23rd 2007 1:19AM]

"...although the ultra-high frequency 60GHz band used for transmission is unable to pass through human skin, creating line-of-sight issues which engineers have yet to unkink."

So we'll put the transmitters on towers and strike a He-man 'I have the power...' whenever we want to get our downloading on with mobile devices. Line of sight problem: Alleviated.

Unless of course want to download all three LOTR special editions to your wifi enabled pacemaker for some odd reason...

[humhum @ Jul 23rd 2007 3:41AM]

sigh its not 15 gigabytes per second its 15 GIGABITS per second

[sf.nicolae @ Jul 24th 2007 12:21PM]

nuff said ma bro

[adgerlinux @ Jul 23rd 2007 8:58AM]

I am always amazed at the level of overkill in wi fi
Most people need wi fi for nothing more than wireless internet browsing
If they were using wi fi for media center streaming I could see it
Give me easier Linux drivers for wi fi please

[Irvan @ Jul 23rd 2007 9:03PM]

4G era is begin. :D

-IT-

[egene12k @ Jul 23rd 2007 10:49AM]

roundabout.. u are pessimistic and is a noob. it was just an example

[egene12k @ Jul 27th 2007 1:52PM]

roundabout.. u are pessimistic and is a noob. it was just an example