Mitsubishi Electric and KDDI Build Antenna From Tap Water
Mitsubishi Electric and KDDI have developed Liqutenna, an antenna that uses tap water in an acrylic pipe, and say it is the first to pass connection tests with mobile devices.
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giftdetect· the right gift in minutesMitsubishi Electric has developed an antenna that uses ordinary tap water to send and receive radio waves. Working with KDDI, the company says its new "Liqutenna" is the first in the telecom industry to pass connection tests with mobile devices.
The antenna consists of an acrylic pipe filled with tap water, which serves as the radiating element. In tests in KDDI's indoor verification environment, it delivered performance comparable to a typical metal antenna, according to the companies.
Blending into the surroundings
Because the pipe is transparent, the antenna can blend into a space. Mitsubishi Electric says this opens up locations that were previously hard to equip for aesthetic reasons. It could be installed as the antenna for repeaters or access points, improving coverage without spoiling the look of a site.
Built on seawater antenna know-how
Liqutenna draws on the knowledge gained from Mitsubishi Electric's seawater antenna, called Sea Aerial (シーエアリアル). Tap water is far less conductive than seawater, which makes it a harder medium to work with. The company says it secured connection performance by adjusting the inner diameter and shape of the acrylic pipe.
Next steps
Mitsubishi Electric and KDDI plan to continue with demonstration and evaluation in areas where radio signals struggle to reach, with the aim of putting the technology to practical use in society. No commercial timeline has been given.
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