Metrological methods developed for evaluating new wireless systems and standards

Metrology Partnership project has enabled efficient, accurate, traceable and safe measurements

Complex wireless technologies underpin fifth and sixth generation (5G and 6G) mobile networks. These ‘new radio’ technologies require improved wireless standards for their radio signals, systems and the transmission environments used, and for the radio frequency exposures created. 5G and 6G operate at higher frequencies than the established 4G, which makes testing network components more difficult and time consuming. Current challenges include a lack of accurate, fast, low-cost and traceable methods for manufacturers to demonstrate that 5G and 6G product verifications match customer specifications.

The Metrology Partnership project Metrology for emerging wireless standards (21NRM03, MEWS) developed practical and efficient measurement methods to enable normative standards for wireless channels up to sub-THz, which is important for 6G. It also examined radio frequency exposure assessment for the rapidly emerging radio technologies.

Good Practice Guide and measurement methodology

The Good practice guide for power density exposure measurements of 5G new radio base stations and a new validated measurement methodology for measuring the power density exposure levels of 5G was published. It provides standardised guidelines for measuring dynamic 5G traffic beams, moving safety assessments from theory in the laboratory to real-world field application, which will be of benefit to regulators.

New measurement capabilities

The project has extended the current measurement capabilities of the participating NMIs to 750 GHz for radio propagation, to 30 GHz for new radio over-the-air measurements and to 40 GHz for new radio RF exposure measurements. This will lead to greatly improved access to, and dissemination of, measurement traceability for European NMIs, accredited testing and calibration laboratories and the manufacturers of test instrumentation. This will be beneficial for all end-users, customers and suppliers of emerging wireless devices and systems.

Testbeds and open access database

The consortium developed, tested and reported on three traceable channel sounding testbeds (operating up to 330 GHz, 550 GHz and 750 GHz) for evaluating radio propagation in the environment and verified their performances in real-world scenarios. Modelling was used to validate results and generate an open-access results database. The project published a Report on the generation of a real world sub-THz traceable channel sounding open access database that comprises a description of the data generated using the tools developed and the relevant open access links.

Measuring mobile phone exposure

A Physics‑Informed Neural Network was developed to linearise near‑field probe responses to 5G new radio signals, ensuring the probe output remains directly proportional to the true electromagnetic field. This PINN achieves a less than 0.4 dB minimal error which means it complies with the recommendations in the 2020 ICNIRP Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields (100 kHz to 300 GHz). It is also over 34,000 times faster than the conventional or standardised simulation-based parameter extraction methods, and reduces storage requirements by more than 350,000 times. This enables real-time, on-site processing and avoids the need for data post-processing.

Demonstration videos

The project completed extensive wideband metrology and measurement campaigns in various indoor and outdoor environments and created videos on the validation of the virtual antenna array concept.

Virtual antenna array (VAA) measurement with a horn antenna

Virtual antenna array (VAA) measurement with a omnidirectional biconical antenna

New products

SPEAG has updated the DASY8 Module absorbed power density V1.0 and V1.2 for measurement of 5G. This new commercial product has been adopted by regulators.

Queen Mary University of London has developed a highly stable channel sounder based on a vector network analyser, capable of operating up to 550 GHz. This enables will support research and standards development in emerging THz communication technologies.

The results of this project will enable efficient and traceable measurements for wireless networks. This will accelerate the uptake and development of 5G/6G technology and improve human and environmental safety through improved understanding of RF exposure from wireless systems.

Project coordinator, Djamel Allal, from LNE, said:

“Beyond technical compliance, the project bridges the gap between complex 5G/6G innovation and societal benefit. The traceable, cost-effective measurement methodologies developed will speed up the delivery of faster, cheaper and more reliable digital technologies to market - guaranteeing public safety, end-user trust and energy-efficient connectivity.”

This Metrology Partnership project has received funding from the European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed by the European Union Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme and from the Participating States.

Want to hear more about EURAMET?