Category Archives: Podcast

Episode 13: Distributed and Cell-Free Massive MIMO

We have now released the 13th episode of the podcast Wireless Future, with the following abstract:

Wireless devices normally connect to a single access point, deployed at one location. The access points are deployed sparsely to create large cell regions, each controlled by the nearest access point. This architecture was conceived for mobile telephony and has been inherited by today’s networks, even if those mainly transfer wireless data. However, future wireless networks might be organized entirely differently. In this episode, Erik G. Larsson and Emil Björnson discuss how one can create cell-free networks consisting of distributed massive MIMO arrays. The vision is that each user will be surrounded by small access points that cooperate to provide uniformly high service quality. The conversation covers the key benefits, how the network architecture can be evolved to support the new technology, and what the main research challenges are. To learn more, they recommend the article “Ubiquitous Cell-Free Massive MIMO Communications” and the new book “Foundations of User-Centric Cell-Free Massive MIMO”.

You can watch the video podcast on YouTube:

You can listen to the audio-only podcast at the following places:

Episode 12: Privacy and Security in Connectivity (with Panos Papadimitratos)

We have now released the twelfth episode of the podcast Wireless Future, with the following abstract:

The data that flows through wireless networks are protected by encryption, but there are anyway privacy and security issues inherent in wireless technologies. In this episode, Erik G. Larsson and Emil Björnson are visited by Panos Papadimitratos, a Professor at the KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The conversation focuses on location privacy and spoofing; what the practical issues are, what countermeasures exist, and which tradeoffs must be made when building wireless technologies.

You can watch the video podcast on YouTube:

You can listen to the audio-only podcast at the following places:

Episode 11: Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access

We have now released the eleventh episode of the podcast Wireless Future, with the following abstract:

The wireless medium must be shared between multiple devices that want to access various services simultaneously. To avoid interference, the devices have traditionally taken turns, which is known as orthogonal multiple access. The use of non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) techniques, where the devices are interfering in a controlled manner, was a popular theme in the research leading up to 5G. In this episode, Emil Björnson and Erik G. Larsson discuss the different forms of NOMA, and what their benefits and weaknesses are. They discuss what role NOMA plays in 5G and might play in future wireless technologies. To learn more, they recommend the article “Is NOMA Efficient in Multi-Antenna Networks? A Critical Look at Next Generation Multiple Access Techniques.

You can watch the video podcast on YouTube:

You can listen to the audio-only podcast at the following places:

Episode 10: Reaching the Terabit/s Goal

We have now released the tenth episode of the podcast Wireless Future, with the following abstract:

5G promises peak data speeds above 1 gigabit per second. Looking further into the future, will wireless technology eventually deliver 1 terabit per second? How can the technology be evolved to reach that goal, and what would the potential use cases be? In this episode, Erik G. Larsson and Emil Björnson provide answers to these questions and discuss the practical challenges that must be overcome at the hardware level and in wireless propagation. To learn more, they recommend the article “Scoring the Terabit/s Goal: Broadband Connectivity in 6G”.

You can watch the video podcast on YouTube:

You can listen to the audio-only podcast at the following places:

Episode 9: Q/A on Reconfigurable Intelligent Surfaces

We have now released the ninth episode of the podcast Wireless Future, with the following abstract:

In this episode, Emil Björnson and Erik G. Larsson answer questions from the listeners on the topic of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces. Some examples are: What kind of materials are used? When can the technology beat traditional relays? How quickly can one change the surface’s configuration? Are there any real-time experiments? How can the research community avoid misconceptions spreading around new technologies?

You can watch the video podcast on YouTube:

You can listen to the audio-only podcast at the following places:

Episode 8: Analog versus Digital Beamforming

We have now released the eighth episode of the podcast Wireless Future, with the following abstract:

The new 5G millimeter wave systems make use of classical analog beamforming technology. It is often claimed that digital beamforming cannot be used in these bands due to its high energy consumption. In this episode, Erik G. Larsson and Emil Björnson are visited by Bengt Lindoff, Chief Systems Architect at the startup BeammWave. The conversation covers how fully digital beamforming solutions are now being made truly competitive and what this means for the future of wireless communications. To learn more about BeammWave’s hardware architecture visit https://www.beammwave.com/whitepapers.

You can watch the video podcast on YouTube:

You can listen to the audio-only podcast at the following places:

Episode 7: Machine Learning for Wireless

We have now released the seventh episode of the podcast Wireless Future, with the following abstract:

What role will machine learning play in wireless communications? In this episode, Emil Björnson and Erik G. Larsson begin by discussing the fundamentals of machine learning and what it means to “learn” something. They discuss what are the good use cases for machine learning in communications, and what are less convincing use cases. To learn more, they recommend the article “Two Applications of Deep Learning in the Physical Layer of Communication Systems”.

You can watch the video podcast on YouTube:

You can listen to the audio-only podcast at the following places: