Towards Enabling Haptic Communications over 6G: Issues and Challenges

• Published in: Electronics (Basel) 2023-07, Vol.12 (13), p.2955
• Main Authors: Awais, Muhammad, Ullah Khan, Fasih, Zafar, Muhammad, Mudassar, Muhammad, Zaigham Zaheer, Muhammad, Mehmood Cheema, Khalid, Kamran, Muhammad, Jung, Woo-Sung
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 6G mobile communication; Analysis; Autonomous underwater vehicles; Context; Energy efficiency; Haptics technology; Health care industry; Internet of Things; Methods; Mobile communication systems; Multimedia; Network latency; Nonorthogonal multiple access; Quality of service; Resource allocation; Security; Software-defined networking; Underwater communication; Unmanned aerial vehicles; Virtual private networks; Wireless communication systems; Wireless communications
• ISSN: 2079-9292; 2079-9292
• DOI: 10.3390/electronics12132955

This research paper provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and potential solutions related to enabling haptic communication over the Tactile Internet in the context of 6G networks. The increasing demand for multimedia services and device proliferation has resulted in limited radio resources, posing challenges in their efficient allocation for Device-to-Device (D2D)-assisted haptic communications. Achieving ultra-low latency, security, and energy efficiency are crucial requirements for enabling haptic communication over TI. The paper explores various methodologies, technologies, and frameworks that can facilitate haptic communication, including backscatter communications (BsC), non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA), and software-defined networks. Additionally, it discusses the potential of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), network slicing, and wireless communication beyond 100 GHz and THz levels in improving haptic communication performance. The research emphasizes the importance of addressing security risks, optimizing resource allocation, and minimizing network congestion to unlock the potential of future networks and services. Aerial, ground, and underwater communication technologies are highlighted as key components of 6G networks, each with their advantages and challenges. The need for specialized equipment in remote areas to meet the bandwidth and latency requirements of haptic communication is underscored. The findings of this research contribute to a deeper understanding of haptic communication in the context of 6G networks and provide insights into potential solutions for overcoming the associated challenges.