Sunday 09 March 2025
In a major breakthrough, scientists have developed a new technology that can significantly improve video streaming over wireless networks. The innovation, known as NL-COMM, uses advanced non-linear processing to enable multiple devices to transmit and receive data simultaneously on the same frequency and time resources.
Wireless networks are facing increasing demands, especially in densely populated areas where limited spectral resources are shared among many devices. Traditional linear processing methods have fallen short of fully utilizing available channel capacity, requiring a substantial number of antennas and RF chains to support only a small number of MIMO streams. This leads to increased power consumption and operational costs.
NL-COMM, on the other hand, is designed to overcome these limitations by jointly processing the mutually interfering MIMO streams. The technology has been demonstrated for the first time with commercial off-the-shelf user equipment (UEs) in a fully 3GPP-compliant environment.
In a live demonstration, NL-COMM was shown to reliably support up to four concurrent video streams on the same frequency and time resources, using only half the antennas required by linear methods. The technology also achieved antenna overloading factors of 400%, allowing for more devices to be supported without compromising stream quality.
The implications of this breakthrough are significant, particularly in applications where multiple low-rate video streams need to be transmitted concurrently. These include security-focused applications such as surveillance and monitoring, where the transmission of multiple video streams can provide valuable insights into a given area or situation.
NL-COMM is also expected to play a key role in the development of future wireless networks, including 6G. The technology’s ability to support multiple devices on the same frequency and time resources has the potential to significantly increase network capacity and reduce latency.
The demonstration of NL-COMM was made possible through the use of an Open-RAN 5G-NR Stand Alone (SA) system, which supports MU-MIMO with both linear and non-linear processing. The system is based on a significantly extended and optimized OpenAirInterface software platform.
Attendees at the demonstration were able to adjust various system parameters remotely, including the MIMO detection algorithm, the number of supported MIMO streams, and the active antenna elements. This allowed them to observe the performance gains achieved by NL-COMM in real-time, as well as the effects on system performance.
The development of NL-COMM is a significant step forward in the quest for more efficient and effective wireless communication technologies.
Cite this article: “Breakthrough in Wireless Communication: NL-COMM Technology Enhances Video Streaming”, The Science Archive, 2025.
Wireless Networks, Nl-Comm, Video Streaming, Mimo Streams, Antennas, Rf Chains, Linear Processing, Non-Linear Processing, 6G, Open-Ran, 5G-Nr
