Revolutionizing Future Healthcare using Wireless on the Walls (WoW)

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of intelligent walls equipped with machine learning to enhance beyond 5G healthcare applications through EM wave manipulation and network integration.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of intelligent walls with embedded AI as a novel solution for improving beyond 5G healthcare communication and device management.

Findings

Intelligent walls can manipulate electromagnetic signals for better communication.

AI-enabled walls can serve as gateways in heterogeneous networks.

Potential applications include remote patient monitoring and RF sensing.

Abstract

Following the standardization and deployment of fifth generation (5G) network, researchers have shifted their focus to beyond 5G communication. Existing technologies have brought forth a plethora of applications that could not have been imagined in the past years. Beyond 5G will enable us to rethink the capability, it will offer in various sectors including agriculture, search and rescue and more specifically in the delivery of health care services. Unobtrusive and non-invasive measurements using radio frequency (RF) sensing, monitoring and control of wearable medical devices are the areas that would potentially benefit from beyond 5G. Applications such as RF sensing, device charging and remote patient monitoring will be a key challenge using millimetre (mmWave) communication. The mmWaves experience multi-path induced fading, where the rate of attenuation is larger as compared to the microwaves. Eventually, mmWave communication systems would require range extenders and guided surfaces. A proposed solution is the use of intelligent reflective surfaces, which will have the ability to manipulate electromagnetic (EM) signals. These intelligent surfaces mounted and/or coated on walls aka - Intelligent Walls are planar and active surfaces, which will be a key element in beyond 5G and 6G communication. These intelligent walls equipped with machine learning algorithm and computation power would have the ability to manipulate EM waves and act as gateways in the heterogeneous network environment. The article presents the application and vision of intelligent walls for next-generation healthcare in the era of beyond 5G.