Emil Björnson

Wireless Internet connectivity is part of our everyday lives, and we need it to pay, work, watch films, socialise and much more. It works very well at certain places, but many people experience a lack of coverage daily as they move around in a town or a rural area. Moreover, half of the world’s population lacks broadband connectivity. New applications such as augmented reality goggles and driverless cars can only be used in limited areas if there is not full coverage.

Emil Björnson is developing 6G technology to change this. He has created algorithms that are used in 5G mobile masts to direct signals towards mobile devices, rather than transmitting blindly. This enables more data traffic and higher energy efficiency, but does not deal with the coverage issue.

Björnson is now developing new technology to spread antennas across urban and rural areas as a complement to the current tall masts. The antennas will collaborate by transmitting directive signals from their different locations and increasing the chances of total coverage. The research combines mathematics with algorithm development and computer simulations. The aim of Björnson’s research is to solve the coverage problem in an economic and energy-efficient manner, so that we can all enjoy a wireless future with no limitations.