Ubiquitous Connectivity Is The Future Of Wireless — Here's How Engineers Can Prepare

By Houman Zarrinkoub, Ph.D., Principal Wireless Product Manager, MathWorks

Connecting people, no matter where they are, has always been the main goal of wireless communications. Whether it is mobile phones improving communication, vehicle communication (V2X) platforms helping cars negotiate traffic turns, or Internet of Things (IoT) devices monitoring smart factories, today’s wireless systems are striving to realize that dream.
This power means that ubiquitous connectivity—a state where systems are capable ofseamlessly using satellite, cellular, and local area networks to maintain a fast, secure, and reliable online connection—is no longer a nice-to-have feature but a must-have.

For the engineers building these technologies, the challenges of designing wireless systems optimized for ubiquitous connectivity have grown along with the systems’ capabilities. These include ensuring a device’s compliance with standard protocols for system and device interoperability; optimizing multidomain system parameters that integrate algorithms, antenna, array, and RF transceiver design choices; and verifying the designs of hardware prototypes with automated over-the-air tests and realistic channel and impairment models.

Fortunately, techniques and best practices exist that engineers can use to design, model, and test these systems, ensuring they work together to provide businesses and consumers alike with not only wireless access, but true ubiquitous connectivity.