WiFi technology - from Beamforming to MU-MIMO

Modern WiFi routers come with new selling features such as Beamforming and even MU-MIMO. What are these new features about? Will your home and/or office WiFi network be benefited with these new features? I also have the same questions, and here is the answer from my research.

Beamforming Technology

Beamforming is a kind of wireless transmission method introduced to reduce interference and improve the reliability of WiFi signal. It is adapted in the 5th generation WiFi standard 802.11ac.

Beamforming is based on Digital Signal Processing (DSP) logic and Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology. Using a procedure called channel calibration or channel sounding, it changes the phase and relative amplitude of the signal, creating a constructive interference and destructive interference to make the signal in preferred direction stronger and others weaker.

In this way, the WiFi router can focus the signal towards the direction of your WiFi devices connected to it, making the wireless connection stronger, more stable, and further reaching. As effective WLAN bandwidth degrades with weaker signal and longer distance, beamforming can help to reduce this degrading effect, therefore making the network faster.

However, bear in mind that your WLAN network is still limited by the maximum supported bandwidth of the WiFi router and the WiFi client, and your Internet bandwidth is still limited by the maximum bandwidth of your subscription package. Your network still won't be faster than these limitation.

Certain 802.11n routers and devices also support beamforming, but unlike 802.11ac, there is no common standard with beamforming in wireless-N.

In order to benefit from the beamforming technology, both your wireless router and wireless device (computer, tablet, handphone, smart TV, etc.) must support this technology. If they are of wireless-N device, then the beamforming of the wireless client must compatible with the wireless router as well, preferably from the same brand or manufacturer.

Beamforming is standardized in wireless-AC, but that does not mean that all wireless-AC has this feature. You have to ensure your wireless-AC device comes with beamforming technology to get its benefit.

MU-MIMO

Traditional wireless router or access point, even with MIMO technology, can only serve one wireless client at one time. If it is connected to multiple WiFi devices, each of the devices take turn to be served. The more wireless devices you connect to the WiFi router, the less bandwidth is available for each one of them.
Multiuser MIMO (MU-MIMO) is introduced in the 5th generation WiFi standard 802.11ac. In a wireless system that uses MU-MIMO, the router can direct separate streams of bandwidth to up to 4 different devices simultaneously, as long as the devices are also able to use MU-MIMO technology.

For a MU-MIMO router with 4 antennas, each antenna can serve an individual MU-MIMO supported wireless device. Each of these devices can utilize the full WLAN bandwidth supported by the router.

If there are more devices, then the 5th onwards still need to share antenna with other device.

So, one MU-MIMO router is equivalent to 4 virtual MIMO routers, in the condition that the wireless clients connected to it also support MU-MIMO technology.

What if your wireless device is not supporting MU-MIMO? The router is backward compatible to act as single-user MIMO (SU-MIMO) router just like the older MIMO, and you won't enjoy the benefit of MU-MIMO in this case.

My MEC iPort G9000 PR1C 1HP portable air-cond

I have just purchased this MEC iPort G9000 PR1C 1HP portable air-cond last month for a small room in my house that is without wall mounted air-cond, and now the weather has become so hot that I feel this purchase was rally made at the right time.

MEC is a Malaysian brand. The size of this portable air-cond is in fact larger than my perception from its photo. It is quite thick, with the dimension of 458 x 745 x 348.

It looks stylish, with an automatic sliding panel that will completely cover up its louver blades outlet when it is turned off, to cover it from dust. The panel will automatically slide down when the air-cond is turned on.

This portable air-cond comes with quite a lot of accessories, including the standard accessory of remote controller with battery, and exhaust hose with wall exhaust adaptor. In addition, it also comes with window slider kit and 4 pieces of foam seal that can be applied to most vertical and horizontal windows. It also comes with a water drain hose for dehumidifying mode usage.

 

This portable air-cond has a modern look, with quite a lot of air filters, located behind it and also at its both sides. It has all the functions that you need, including the louver auto-swing feature, 4 selection modes of Auto, Cool, Dry and Fan, 4 fan speed selection of Low, Med, High and Auto, Sleep mode, Timer setting, LED display, intelligent self-diagnosis and auto-protection function, panel Lock function, auto-restart after power cut off, 3 minutes protection before resuming operation, etc. It makes use of the condensed water for cooling, evaporating the water during the process, therefore for normal operation with this self-evaporating system, it doesn't need to drain out water.

One unique feature is the Follow Me button on its remote control. In Follow Me mode, the remote control will send signal to the air-cond every 3 minutes, and the air-cond will direct the cool air to its direction. So, you just need to put the remote control beside you to get the breezing cool air blowing towards you.

This air-cond is pretty quiet during operation, and quite energy saving too. It has a current rating of 4.4A with 1000W power input, cooling capacity of 9000 Btu/h, EER rating of 8.9, airflow of 440 cubic meter per hour, which is equivalent to 259 CFM.

Overall, I am satisfied with this portable air-cond.

You might be interested to also read about:

• How to select air-conditioner wisely

Ambidio - new audio technology that enables normal speaker to play super immersive surround sound that beats high-end 7.2 speakers

Ambidio is a new start-up in Los-Angeles founded by 29 years old Taiwanese girl Iris Wu and her friends, specialized in revolutionary sound technology. The company is backed by multiple-times Grammy award-winning artist will.i.am, and private investment arm of Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-Shing - Horizons Ventures.

So, what's so special about this Ambidio technology? Well, it brings a high quality, immersive sound experience by just using computer software technology, which can instantly enable normal low-end speaker (preferably stereo) to play sound with effect of the standard as produced by expensive high-end surround sound systems.

Ambidio offers a new way for people to experience sound. It has a range that is at least 3 times wider than conventional methods that simulates three dimensional sound, using traditional speakers and headphones, allowing for a fully immersive experience.

Don't believe me? You can try yourself with this demo video provided by Ambidio, using your low-end speaker, and tell me what you think after listening to this 1 minute demonstration.

Ambidio has enlisted Lucasfilm’s Skywalker Sound, which has been redefining immersive sound for nearly 4 decades for film, TV and videogames, as a strategic advisor to assist with Ambidio's technology and creative development.

“Technology is transforming the way we experience music and, as an artist and producer, I’m always looking to what’s next – where the innovation is. Ambidio brings music to life through immersive sound, giving people a chance to experience music in a whole new way,” says will.i.am of his involvement.

The idea came about while music lover Iris Wu was attending graduate school at New York University, and was trying to create a quality listening experience but was dissatisfied with the results due to living in a small New York City apartment. She began experimenting with sound engineering through code rather than hardware and Ambidio’s technology began to take shape.

“The brain is a powerful mechanism that can interpret the directional origin of different sounds in everyday life,” says Iris, “however, when consuming content on a device, such as a laptop, sound consistently comes from a fixed point – the front.”

Ambidio made it by treating our brain as a decoder and creates a continuous sound field with a sense of depth and dimension. It creates an immersive sound experience using only stereo speakers by inserting common cues into audio files that the brain then uses to identify and perceive where different sounds within the audio stream would have come from. Essentially, our brains process the sound the way it does in everyday life.

We look forward for Ambidio to disrupt the entire audio industry.