MIT researchers unveil 5G receiver 30× better than traditional 5G receivers
The new 5G receiver developed by MIT researchers achieves 30 times better noise blocking (Image source: AI-generated image)
Researchers at MIT have developed a new ultra-low-power receiver chip that’s about 30 times more resistant to harmonic interference than traditional designs. This breakthrough, reported on MIT News on June 17, could lead to smaller, smarter, and longer-lasting IoT devices, from health wearables to industrial sensors.
As 5G-enabled devices become more common, the environment is increasingly crowded with signals. For tiny, battery-powered devices like health wearables or environmental sensors, this noisy environment can cause interference that disrupts communication. These small gadgets cannot afford the bulky, power-hungry signal filters used in larger electronics like smartphones.
The MIT team solved this by designing a receiver with a novel passive filtering mechanism. The system uses a unique network of pre-charged, stacked capacitors and tiny switches to block unwanted signals before they can be amplified. This approach is extremely efficient, allowing the entire receiver to consume less than a milliwatt of power while having an active area of less than 0.05 square millimeters. To cap these innovations, the new receiver blocks 30 times more harmonic interference than standard receivers.
This efficiency is achieved through clever engineering — using the bootstrap clocking technique to reliably power the switches, and leveraging of the Miller effect, which allows small capacitors to behave like much larger ones.
The following IoT applications could benefit most from this innovation:
The researchers are now exploring ways to power the chip by harvesting ambient Wi-Fi or Bluetooth signals — a development that could one day lead to IoT devices that won't need batteries.
Chibuike Okpara - Tech Writer - 86 articles published on Notebookcheck since 2024
I have always been fascinated by technology and digital devices my entire life and even got addicted to it. I have always marveled at the intricacy of even the simplest digital devices and systems around us. I have been writing and publishing articles online for about 6 years now, just about a year ago, I found myself lost in the marvel of smartphones and laptops we have in our hands every day. I developed a passion for learning about new devices and technologies that come with them and at some point, I asked myself, "Why not get into writing tech articles?" It is useless to say I followed up the idea — it is evident. I am an open-minded individual who derives an infinite amount of joy from researching and discovering new information, I believe there is so much to learn and such a short life to live, so I put my time to good use — learning new things. I am a 'bookworm' of the internet and digital devices. When I am not writing, you will find me on my devices still, I do explore and admire the beauty of nature and creatures. I am a fast learner and quickly adapt to changes, always looking forward to new adventures.
