Can 6G deliver on the Holographic & Tactile Communications promise

Once only seen in science fiction movies like Star Trek, the concept of holographic technology has captivated humans for decades. What if, somehow, we could virtually project 3D objects and environments into our physical world? And what if we could even interact with these virtual objects tangibly, using touch and other sensations? These ideas may no longer be just a dream for the future. With the rapid development and integration of holographic and tactile technologies, the possibility of a fully immersive virtual world becomes more and more tangible.

Continue reading as we discuss this futuristic tech concept that may become a figuratively material reality within our lifetimes.

Holographic communications center around the science of holography, which refers to the process of recording and reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) objects onto two-dimensional (2D) planes. It was first conceptualized in the late 1940s but only became technologically feasible decades later.

Holographic technology works by using lasers to create an interference pattern that captures the light reflected off an object from different angles. This is then used to reconstruct a 3D image when viewed under proper lighting conditions. Unlike traditional images and videos, which are flat and do not change when viewed from different angles, holograms appear to have depth and can be seen differently depending on the viewer's perspective.

Tactile communication, sometimes called kinesic communication, is the concept of using touch to convey a message or meaning. Unlike holography, it has existed since the dawn of time; scientists believe humans have been communicating through touch since the beginning of our species.

Tactile communication can take many forms, from a simple pat on the back to elaborate hand gestures. There's an increasing interest in bringing it to the digital world, where to date, our interactions have been limited to the senses of sight and sound.

The key to tactile communication in technology is haptic feedback, which refers to the use of touch sensations and forces to interact with a computer or virtual environment. This can be through devices like vibration motors, force sensors, and even gloves that simulate the sense of touch. Scientists have been tinkering with the idea for decades - as far back as the early 1970s according to available patents.

The main barriers standing in the way of widespread use in communication are the complexity of haptic technology, its high cost, and the sheer amount of data that would need to be transmitted in order for truly responsive devices to work.

Not all hope is lost, though. Many believe that 6G, the next level up in our 5G world, will have the bandwidth and processing power necessary to make haptic communication a reality.

6G, also known as sixth-generation wireless technology, is the next generation of mobile communication networks. It is expected to be the successor of 5G and will provide even faster data speeds and lower latency than its predecessor.

Like previous generations (1G, 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G), the development of 6G is driven by the increasing demand for high-speed and reliable connectivity. With more devices being connected to the internet and an ever-growing amount of data being transferred, there is a need for a more advanced wireless network to handle this demand.

While still in its early stages of development, researchers and experts predict that 6G could potentially reach speeds of up to 1 terabyte per second (1000 gigabytes). This is over 50 times faster than the maximum speed promised by 5G.

6G technology also aims to significantly reduce latency, or the time it takes for a device to communicate with a network. Near-instantaneous ranges of just a few microseconds (1 microsecond = 0.001 ms) would open the door to countless interactive applications that require real-time data processing and high levels of precision, such as autonomous vehicles, remote surgery - and yes, holographic and tactile communication systems.