Exploring Gaming Technologies, Digital Twins, and VR to Visualise Wireless Propagation Simulations

Abstract

Over the years, the wireless communication industry and the research community investigated methods of creating accurate and efficient models for signal propagation. The recent advancements in wireless communications and its exponential usage through high mobility of numerous connected devices introduced challenges in simulating dynamic radio propagation. To address these challenges, specialized software have been developed, offering high-fidelity simulations. However, these solutions have expensive cost requirements and are largely dependent on offline computations, lacking flexibility and scalability. As a result, their wider use in scientific and industrial sectors is limited. In response to these limitations, this paper proposes an alternative solution leveraging the latest developments in Gaming technologies, GPU technology, and Virtual Reality through the concept of Digital Twins to develop a prototype for a deterministic channel simulator. The prototype utilise a game development engine, high-performance GPU, and commercial VR headsets to achieve a low cost, accessible and scalable method for visualizing wireless signal propagation in real time. This paper presents the work in progress, describing the system architecture, current state of development and intended functionalities.