Imagine a teleconference, with holograms instead of a checkerboard of faces. Or digital communication including smell, hearing and touch, in addition to sight and sound. Pure science fiction? Not really. It is what researchers think possible by 2030, through 6G. Today, we are surrounded by digital technologies that make our lives easier. Tomorrow, the immersive experience of 6G will blur the boundaries between the digital and physical world.
Of course, we are not there yet. Currently, the rollout of 5G is in full swing, and that is already a huge leap from 4G. But what 6G could bring borders on the incredible. Researchers studying the future of sixth-generation (6G) wireless communications, now outline possibilities for those technologies. In their forecasts, 2030 will herald the era of full immersion. But what will that mean in the real world?