23.03.2023

TU Ilmenau: Major 6G network project for new multimedia applications

Deutsche Telekom AG
Im 6G-NeXt-Projekt wird ein Anti-Kollisionssystem für intelligente Drohnen entwickelt

The TU Ilmenau is involved in a large-scale research project that will further develop 6G, the next-generation mobile network, to enable new multimedia applications. In the 6G-NeXt project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and led by Deutsche Telekom AG, eleven partners from science and industry are researching new software architectures for 6G network technology. They are also developing a new type of anti-collision system for aviation as well as an innovative video conferencing system with holographic three-dimensional video that does not require 3D glasses - a technology previously only seen in movies such as Star Wars. Currently (March 22 and 23), the project consortium is meeting at the TU Ilmenau to coordinate essential planning details.

With the research project "6G Native Extensions for XR Technologies (6G NeXt)", the TU Ilmenau, together with Deutsche Telekom AG as consortium leader and seven other partners from research and industry, is launching into the new generation of the 6G mobile communications standard. Together, they are developing new multimedia applications: an anti-collision system for modern aviation, a video conferencing system with participants displayed holographically in three dimensions, and a mobile gaming controller for the gaming industry.
 

Anti-collision system for intelligent drones

In the future, civilian drones will fly under automatic control and autonomously avoid collisions. Innovative 6G monitoring and control processes will monitor the trajectories of intelligent drones in real time and use algorithms to predict collision risks. In the event of danger, evasive maneuvers will be calculated and, unlike today's systems, the anti-collision system will also take over control of the pilotless aircraft. In this use case, it is the task of the scientists from the Group of Audiovisual Technology at TU Ilmenau, together with other partners, to measure the success of the drone control system. To do this, they record parameters of the network and the control system, such as distances between the flying objects and matches with target coordinates.
 

Video conferencing system in 3D without 3D glasses

Deutsche Telekom AG
The 6G-NeXt project will develop a video conferencing system that does not require 3D glasses

In a second use case of 6G NeXt, a new type of video conferencing system is being developed that goes far beyond today's systems. For example, the three-dimensional holograms of the participating persons are not to be displayed with the help of 3D virtual reality glasses as in previous applications, but in a real holographic display in realistic 3D depth, i.e. without having to wear special VR glasses. The greatest challenge here: the large amount of processed visual data that accumulates because a so-called volumetric, i.e. three-dimensional video must be recorded, transmitted and played back.

The scientists are breaking new ground not only in the speed of data transmission, but also in the resolution of the video images, which are as close to reality as possible. In this work package, the researchers at the TU Ilmenau are evaluating the user experienceduring holographic communication. Questions they will answer in the process: How do the participating persons perceive the spatial representation? And can more proximity to the conversation partners be achieved? In order to optimize the service quality of the new videoconferencing system, parameters of the network will be analyzed as well as the visual and audio signals.

The research work at TU Ilmenau takes place in the Ilmenau Interactive Immersive Technologies Center (I3TC), the new research center for state-of-the-art virtual reality and augmented reality technologies. In these so-called immersive media, users are immersed in virtual reality environments that they perceive as real through visual and acoustic stimuli, or reality is augmented with additional information using augmented reality. Information: www.tu-ilmenau.de/i3tc

The 6G-NeXt project is supported by the program "Communication Systems Sovereign. Digital. Networked." program by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research for three years (BMBF funding code 16KISK182).

 

Contact

Prof. Alexander Raake

Director Ilmenau Interactive Immersive Technologies Center (I3TC)
Head of Group Audiovisual Technology

+49 3677 69-2757
alexander.raake@tu-ilmenau.de