A technique for boosting wireless bandwidth and range by taking advantage of multiplexing.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]MIMO algorithms in a radio chipset send information out over two or more antennas. The radio signals reflect off objects, creating multiple paths that in conventional radios cause interference and fading. But MIMO uses these paths to carry more information, which is recombined on the receiving side by the MIMO algorithms
Many wireless-LAN vendors expect that some form of MIMO will be the basis of work just starting in the IEEE 802.11n Task Group, which is creating a specification for WLANs having at least 100M bit/sec throughput. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project, a collaboration of telecom standards groups, also is evaluating MIMO techniques for use in cellular networks.
MIMO doubles the spectral efficiency compared with that of current WLANs. The maximum data rate for 802.11g and 802.11a networks is 54M bit/sec, though actual throughput is closer to 20M to 30M bit/sec. Current MIMO techniques can boost raw WLAN throughput to 108M bit/sec, supporters say.
Compare to phased array.
Additional resources
Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) Systems for Wireless Communications
MIMO Research at UT-Austin
Describes different types of MIMO uses.
Wireless research center
Latest wireless news, analysis and links.
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