In today's episode, we're discussing the role of Wi-Fi 6 in the Industrial IoT (IIoT) landscape with our guest Marian Kost, VP and GM of Connectivity at Texas Instruments. Marian discusses how Wi-Fi 6 has supported performance improvements for IoT products in dense environments, and how the addition of new networks creates a more reliable and robust connectivity experience for applications like electric vehicles, HVAC systems, and patient monitoring. We also talk about how smart cities can utilize Wi-Fi 6 by building on top of existing infrastructures, and what designers should consider when developing Wi-Fi enabled IoT devices. Listen to learn more about how Wi-Fi 6 is shaping the future of IIoT.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6®: https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/wi-fi-certified-6

Internet of Things: https://www.wi-fi.org/discover-wi-fi/internet-of-things

For Wi-Fi Alliance: www.wi-fi.org

For Membership Info: https://www.wi-fi.org/membership

General Contact: https://www.wi-fi.org/contact-us

Wi-Fi Alliance^® hosts annual member meetings around the world in Asia, the Americas, and Europe, with opportunities for attendees to participate in face-to-face working sessions, get a first look at the latest Wi-Fi^® demos, expand their professional networks, and explore the latest technology topics. These events connect Wi-Fi industry peers to advance innovation globally.

Read on to learn more about what to expect when attending Wi-Fi Alliance member meetings:

Informative General Sessions

Member meetings feature general sessions which include keynotes delivered by industry experts across the Wi-Fi ecosystem that explore the latest Wi-Fi topics, technologies, and innovations. Past keynotes have included Chatwin Lansdowne, Engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center; acting FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel; and Phil Solis, Research Director at IDC. General sessions also panels and roundtables, such as the Lisbon member meeting’s Wi-Fi in IoT panel and a regulatory panel at the Wi-Fi Alliance 20^th anniversary member meeting.

Demonstrations

Wi-Fi Alliance member meetings often include various technology demonstrations of available or forthcoming Wi-Fi technologies or services. Members are welcome to showcase their products through demonstrations of the latest Wi-Fi technologies and use cases, giving attendees early insight into upcoming innovations. The most recent member meeting in Seoul featured a demonstration of the Wi-Fi Alliance AFC Service and past meetings have included demos of Wi-Fi Location and Sensing technologies.

Task Group Working Sessions

Member meetings are an ideal location for task group face-to-face discussions. Task groups are the primary forums for Wi-Fi Alliance members to accomplish work. Task Groups identify requirements and advance key Wi-Fi work areas like AFC, Security, IoT, and more. These working sessions are usually conducted virtually during the year, but member meetings provide dedicated time for group members to collaborate in person on important industry topics and an ideal opportunity for collaboration across various task groups that may have common goals.

Networking

Members value the opportunity to forge personal connections in a face-to-face environment.  Every   Wi-Fi Alliance member meeting agenda features dedicated time to connect with industry peers. Members have opportunities to expand their professional network by attending social events like happy hours and enjoying meals that showcase the area’s local cuisine. Each meeting also includes a new member orientation to help incoming members and those who have not yet attended a member meeting make the most of the event.

With more than 870 member companies around the world, Wi-Fi Alliance is proud to host informative events that continue the upward momentum of Wi-Fi innovation and adoption. Learn more about our upcoming member meetings here.

Clockwise from top left: Celebrating 20 years of Wi-Fi in Washington, D.C.; connecting with peers at a social in Seoul; networking in Lisbon; enjoying happy hour; savoring sweet treats during a break; checking in at registration; and exploring the streets of Seoul.

ITU-APT Foundation of India National Workshop on the Planning of 6 GHz Band in India

New Dehli

We are pleased to inform you that ITU-APT Foundation of India (IAFI) is organizing a national workshop on the planning of 6GHz band in India, based on national and global technical studies regarding sharing of the 5925-7125 MHz band between Wi-Fi, IMT, satellites and other telecom services. The event will be held on Wednesday 07 June 2023 from 10 AM to 5PM in New Delhi India.

Under WRC-23, Agenda item 1.2, various studies have been carried out globally on the possibilities of sharing the upper 6 GHz band between IMT and other incumbent services. This event will review the results of these studies and look at opportunities for the opening of this band for unlicensed Wi-Fi use. As you are aware, Wi-Fi today uses two frequency bands: 2.4GHz and 5GHz. The new Wi-Fi 6e utilizes a third band: 6GHz band. Wi-Fi6E extends the same Wi-Fi capabilities into the 6 GHz band to allow greater efficiency, higher throughput, and increased security. Most Countries around the World have already delicensed 6GHz band for Wi-Fi, since the current Wi-Fi Spectrum in 2.4 GHz and 5GHz is not adequate to meet the increased demand due to increased work from home and roll out of 5G in the country. In addition to this, it is noted that the current Wi-Fi technologies in 2.4 and 5GHz band cannot support new applications such as Augmented Reality (AR)/Virtual Reality (VR)/Extended Reality (XR) which are critical for usages such as remote surgeries and Industrial robotics.

The event will also share the outcome and findings of a recent consumer study regarding the use of Wi-Fi in some cities in India done by CUTS.

Wi-Fi Alliance will be participation in the following session:

• Panel Discussion: Planning of the 6 GHz Band
  • 11:30-13:30
  • Param Paru, Director Membership – APAC and Europe, Wi-Fi Alliance

Register here

View Event Website

Wi-Fi^® is holding strong as the preferred choice for wireless connectivity, and its upward momentum continues. According to a new report released by IDC Research, 3.8 billion Wi-Fi devices are forecast to ship in 2023 alone, contributing to 42 billion cumulative Wi-Fi shipments over the technology’s lifetime. This year will also see 19.5 billion Wi-Fi devices in use, including access points, smartphones, laptops, security cameras, and smart plugs. An increasing number of devices support the latest Wi-Fi generations and provide users, service providers, and network administrators with the ability to support increasingly complex use cases.^[1]

As more countries release 6 GHz unlicensed spectrum for Wi-Fi, users around the world are benefitting from the performance enhancements of Wi-Fi 6E operations in the band. With high gigabit speeds, extremely low latency, and increased capacity, the 6 GHz band offers numerous socioeconomic benefits, as well as the ability to support emerging applications, including 3D immersive medical training and telepresence, security monitoring, and fueling innovation in service provider networks that enable multi-gigabit speeds for customers. IDC predicts continued momentum for Wi-Fi 6E with 473 million Wi-Fi 6E devices expected to ship in 2023.  

Some additional data includes:

• More than 18% of all Wi-Fi 6 device shipments are predicted to be Wi-Fi 6E in 2023, growing to 32% in 2025
• Two-thirds of shipments in 2023 will be Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E, and these will continue to expand into more IoT devices as more Wi-Fi 6 chipsets targeting IoT devices enter the market
• 94.6 million Wi-Fi 6E AP devices will ship in 2023

According to a recent IDC press release, "There is all growth going forward layered with trends of more Wi-Fi 6 and 6E devices coming into play, Wi-Fi 7 chips ramping up in higher-end devices and access points, and more discrete Wi-Fi solutions in primary client devices and other product types,” said Phil Solis, Research Director, Connectivity and Smartphone Semiconductors at IDC.

Wi-Fi 7 momentum begins to build as we look toward the end of 2023 and approach Wi-Fi Alliance^® certification availability. While only accounting for .4% of Wi-Fi device shipments this year, Wi-Fi 7 will begin seeing broader technology adoption aligned with Wi-Fi Alliance certification availability, which typically serves as an inflection point in the industry. Wi-Fi 7 delivers advanced experiences using 2.4 and 5 GHz spectrum that is globally available today, and countries opening the full 6 GHz band to Wi-Fi will benefit from the maximum potential of Wi-Fi 7.

Wi-Fi and IoT momentum

The heightened user demand for IoT devices supports Wi-Fi's predicted upward momentum this year, according to IDC, and the availability of more Wi-Fi 6 chipsets created for IoT devices will enter the market to aid this growing demand. IDC reports that Wi-Fi IoT device shipments totaled 37% in 2022 and are predicted to exceed 40% by 2027.

The upward trajectory of IoT is further evidenced by those devices surpassing smartphone shipments in 2021, and IoT is also expected to outpace primary client device shipments in 2027. The release of additional unlicensed spectrum in 6 GHz spectrum around the world is crucial to support the steady uptake of Wi-Fi 6E devices expected in 2023 and the introduction of Wi-Fi 7. “As older protocols fade away and the Wi-Fi industry firmly embraces Wi-Fi 6E, Wi-Fi 7, and beyond, the 6 GHz band will be critical for supporting the future of Wi-Fi,” said Phil Solis, Research Director at IDC “The 6 GHz band allows for performance, capacity, and reliability that 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz cannot provide.” Not only will 6 GHz provide the foundation for the high-performance connectivity users expect, it will also enable continued innovation for today’s Wi-Fi and future generations to come.

Wi-Fi Alliance Member Meeting - Malaga

Malaga, Spain

Event details restricted to Wi-Fi Alliance members only.

View Event Details

If you would like to request an invitation to attend the member meeting as a guest, please contact us.

Wi-Fi Alliance® Webinar: Testing of 6 GHz Standard Power Device

Virtual

Wi-Fi Alliance^® to host a webinar on testing of 6 GHz Standard Power Device

In its ongoing effort to advance wireless broadband connectivity delivered by the growing 6 GHz Wi-Fi^® ecosystem, Wi-Fi Alliance^® developed a set of specifications to facilitate testing of standard power devices that operate under the control of the Automated Frequency Coordination (AFC) system. To introduce regulators, testing laboratories, and other 6 GHz stakeholders to the AFC Device Under Test (DUT) compliance testing framework, Wi-Fi Alliance will host a webinar. Wi-Fi Alliance invites all interested parties to attend this webinar.

Date: Tuesday, May 16th

Time: 11:00am-12:30pm Eastern Daylight Time

Webinar Agenda:

• Introduction
• AFC System to AFC Device Interface Specification
• AFC DUT Compliance Test Plan
• AFC DUT Compliance Test Vectors
• AFC DUT Test Harness
• AFC DUT Testing process for FCC certification
• Q&A

All technical specifications as well as the proceedings of this webinar will be available on Wi-Fi Alliance website for public access.

Register here

Wireless Global Congress

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

WGC Americas will be held in Las Vegas, with WBA members-only Working Sessions taking place on June 19-20 and the Open Congress taking place on June 21-22.

Wi-Fi Alliance is participating in the below session:

• Presentations
  • June 22, 9:05am
  • Kevin Robinson, CEO and President of Wi-Fi Alliance

Register here

View Event Website

Wi-Fi Knowledge Summit: Wi-Fi KS 2023

Bengaluru, India

India's premier Wi-Fi industry event is back! Come join us to learn more about the technology, its use cases and best practices from leading experts.

Wi-Fi Alliance is participating in the below session:

• Presentations
  • May 26, 2023, time TBD
  • Paramjit Singh Puri, Director of Membership, Wi-Fi Alliance

Register here

View Event Website

Wi-Fi World Congress Europe 2023

Brighton, UK

We are the world’s only conference & expo 100% dedicated to showcasing and supporting the global Wi-Fi industry. This May 22-24 we're bringing the world’s Wi-Fi leaders together under one roof for three days of all things Wi-Fi in the iconic seaside resort town of Brighton, UK - with a special focus on innovation & opportunity.  We're also zooming in on massive new opportunities in 6 GHz Wi-Fi for the home, the enterprise, for devices, and not least Wi-Fi evolution.

Wi-Fi Alliance participation:

• Keynote: Maureen Gallagher, VP of Marketing, Wi-Fi Alliance

Register here

View Event Website

Wi-Fi Alliance Member Meeting - Austin

Austin, Texas

Event details restricted to Wi-Fi Alliance members only.

View Event Details

If you would like to request an invitation to attend the member meeting as a guest, please contact us.

Wireless cameras use Wi-Fi^® to capture stunning imagery

Figure 1: This image from beyond the far side of the moon was taken by a highly modified GoPro camera mounted at the tip of a solar panel. The camera relayed the photo using Wi-Fi. (Source: NASA)

During the countdown procedure for the Artemis I launch, the flight control team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston activated a set of cameras looking back at the vehicle from the wing-tips of the solar arrays. Throughout the flight, the team used photos from these cameras to survey and assess the condition of the vehicle, monitor for micrometeorite damage, and maintain situational awareness. The ground control team was even able to watch live video as the solar array wings unfolded. The cameras continued to store imagery to internal memory as well as send photos over Wi-Fi® even as the vehicle lost communication with Earth as it flew behind the moon. Artemis I is the first NASA mission to use Wi-Fi in lunar orbit.

NASA’s Artemis I mission was designed to “test drive” new vehicle and ground systems before risking a human crew. Artemis II will carry a human crew aboard. Artemis III will land the next humans on the moon. For Artemis I, an Orion capsule and service module crewed by three test dummies were launched together on November 16, 2022, atop the first production-model Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket. During the 25 intervening days before the Orion capsule reentered Earth’s atmosphere and splashed down in the Pacific Ocean, engineers exercised the features and subsystems of the stack of new vehicles and practiced several new orbital maneuvers around the moon and earth.

Figure 2: A solar array panel on the European Space Agency service module is framed from the vantage of the tip of a neighboring solar array. A Wi-Fi enabled camera is visible centered at the extreme end of the solar array. (Source: NASA)

The cameras had to be small and lightweight. The European Space Agency (ESA) supplied the service module, using a design that was derived from ESA’s Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV). Placing a mass at the end of a delicate folding solar array structure required careful consideration. Would the cameras vibrate and knock during launch or deployment or vehicle maneuvers? Would the power wire tangle as the arrays unfolded? Would the structure oscillate whenever a thruster fired to adjust the spacecraft’s attitude?

The Avionic Systems Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center developed the video architecture and built a working prototype video solution. The architecture includes a pair of video controllers, stationary wired cameras, and a method of supporting Wi-Fi enabled cameras. In this concept the two video controllers are linked with Wi-Fi CERTIFIED WiGig™ , allowing the service module to maintain communication with the capsule so the solar array cameras can capture video of the capsule separation. NASA also demonstrated that it was possible to build lightweight high-definition streaming wireless video cameras that could be mounted on the solar arrays. This concept became the basis for the wireless helmet camera system that was incorporated into NASA’s space suits. 

The final design of the Artemis I flight solar array wing cameras was developed by Redwire. Derived from GoPro cameras, the Artemis I cameras are capable of storing photos and video and transferring the files over Wi-Fi, or wirelessly streaming lower resolution video. Redwire needed to modify firmware and hardware on the commercial cameras, adding a light for illumination, replacing the lens, and repackaging the camera for operation in the space environment. Redwire also built the separate camera controller assemblies which served as Wi-Fi access points:  one on the Orion capsule and one on the ESA service module. In all, this system comprised seven wireless cameras (four on the solar array wings of the service module, three in the cabin of the capsule), three higher-resolution wired cameras, and two camera controller assemblies.

Callisto technology demonstration

Orion’s crew cabin also carried a technology demonstration payload called “Callisto.” Callisto used the Redwire Wi-Fi to transfer telemetry, audio, and conference video. And the Callisto team added three more of the GoPro-derived wireless cameras for situational awareness. A joint partnership between Lockheed Martin, Amazon Alexa and Webex by Cisco, this demonstration tested new crew interfaces that could potentially be implemented on future missions to streamline everyday tasks for the crew and to improve morale. Where the flight displays, walls and ceiling of the Space Shuttle and Apollo cockpits were covered with toggle switches, Callisto occupied the center position of the Orion display console and demonstrated crew display applications on an iPad, an Alexa local voice control interface to vehicle telemetry, and Webex video conferencing and collaboration.

Since there were no astronauts on-board Orion for Artemis I, the system was evaluated by “virtual crew members” invited to the payload operations suite in the Johnson Space Center Mission Control Center. Callisto connected to the same Redwire-provided crew module camera controller that supported the Orion cameras. That Wi-Fi access point forwarded the guests’ voice and video that originated in the operations suite and passed through NASA’s Deep Space Network. That same access point simultaneously connected the payload to the vehicle’s local network for the payload to directly access vehicle telemetry.

Figure 3: Commander Moonikin Campos regards the wireless Callisto console inside the Artemis I Orion capsule. The image was captured by a wireless camera. (Source: NASA)

WiGig

Redwire’s camera controller assemblies were designed to communicate with each other wirelessly over a high-bandwidth connection using WiGig technology. This capability is used to transfer video of the Orion capsule from the solar array cameras during the service module separation event. This “critical event” video sequence documents the condition of the heat shield just before reentry. NASA intends to use this WiGig connectivity on Artemis II.

The flexibility of wireless networks and the tight integration of commercial products

The early design choice of using the Wi-Fi industry-standard interface yielded the dividend of extensive flexibility to relocate components and to add unrelated components all without modification to the spacecraft wiring harnesses. Network connectivity can even be maintained between stacked vehicles as they separate. For mission designers the lunar and space environments impose significant constraints including size, mass, and power consumption. An industry-standard interface that can be integrated into commercially available diminutive, ruggedized, and interoperable products is an attractive choice for lunar mission design engineers.