Forget 802.11N, the higher-speed WiFi standard expected to be adopted late next year; N will top out at about 74 Mb/s. But researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology's Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) have something much, much faster in the works, and are optimistic about rolling it out in the next two to three years.

Using radio frequencies in the unlicensed 60 GHz range, the group, led by Professor Joy Laskar, has already wirelessly transferred data at a rate of 15Gb per second over a distance of one meter, and a third that rate over five meters. Distance is the key issue here, and wile the group is hoping double range and speed in the next year, they're also looking at the short-distance tendencies of their tech as an asset. According to their press release, the radio frequencies used cannot penetrate walls or even human skin, so there's less worry about health and security issues. The power used for the transfer is extremely low as well, in the neighborhood of one hundredth of a watt. And they're working on lowering the power consumption as well.

Backwards compatibility with current WiFi technology is maintained largely because the technology involves modifying existing wireless LAN system architecture, making CMOS RF circuitry more effective.

"We are pursuing a combination of system design and circuit design, employing both analog and digital techniques," said researcher Stephane Pinel in a press release. "It's definitely a very exciting mixed-signal problem that you have to solve."

Aside from the obvious home and office multimedia applications that this technology could facilitate, like streaming HD content all over your house, the GEDC researchers are also stressing the commercial potential.

"At 10 Gbps, you could download a DVD from a kiosk to your cell phone in five seconds," Pinel points out, "or you could quickly synchronize two laptops or two iPods."

And as the technology matures, GEDC's director Professor Laskar is sure more applications will become apparent.

"The promise of multi-gigabit wireless is tremendous," he said. "The combination of short-range functionality and enormous bandwidth makes possible a whole range of consumer and business applications that promise great utility."

Sounds like a promising new step towards a more wireless life. Throw this technology in with MIT's witricity trick, and we might one day eventually get there. And with all those radio waves and electromagnetic fields we'll be absorbing by then, maybe we can put the great debate about health issues and wireless technology to bed. Either that, or we'll flip the switch on all this tech, and melt into flesh-colored piles of goo.

Post by Matt Safford