mmWall - A Steerable, Transflective Metamaterial Surface for NextG mmWave Networks

Explore a groundbreaking conference talk from NSDI '23 that introduces mmWall, the first electronically steerable metamaterial surface for millimeter wave networks. Delve into the design, implementation, and evaluation of this innovative technology that addresses the challenges of mmWave link reliability in both indoor and outdoor environments. Learn how mmWall's unique ability to refract or reflect incoming mmWave transmissions can significantly improve signal strength and reduce outages. Discover the potential impact of this technology on the evolution of 5G networks and beyond, as it demonstrates impressive performance in various scenarios, including indoor, outdoor-to-indoor, and multi-beam applications. Gain insights into the technical details of mmWall's construction, including its varactor-split ring resonator unit cells and custom control circuitry, as well as its integration with existing mmWave network protocols.