6 GHz Wi-Fi Driving Advanced AR/VR Applications in Healthcare

6 GHz Wi-Fi is revolutionizing the healthcare sector by enhancing augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) applications, particularly in medical education and training. These high-throughput, low-latency applications are well-suited for dense environments such as classrooms and training seminars with hundreds of students and doctors. The Wi-Fi Alliance, along with its partner members, has demonstrated how 6 GHz Wi-Fi can meet the high bandwidth and strict latency requirements of these applications.

The demonstration utilized Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6 routers with 6E functionality, Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 client devices, and Meta Quest Pro head-mounted displays (HMDs). The demonstration featured two complex healthcare use cases. One involved immersive virtual anatomy visualization using AR/VR technology, providing medical students and doctors with detailed 3D views of the human body, including bones, muscles, nerves, and soft tissues. The other showcased how 6 GHz Wi-Fi enabled streaming and file transfer in a densely populated environment, where every participant could stream HD videos, transfer files, or collaborate in real-time, ensuring uninterrupted learning and interaction for all.

The demonstration also compared Wi-Fi performance when operating on the lower 500 MHz spectrum of 6 GHz versus the full 1200 MHz spectrum. The results highlighted significant improvements in AR/VR performance and capacity when utilizing the wider spectrum, allowing for better support of demanding medical training applications.

Overall, 6 GHz Wi-Fi provides robust support for future healthcare innovations, not only driving emerging healthcare applications but also laying the groundwork for future developments in sectors like automotive, enterprise, home, and industrial IoT (IIoT). The successful demonstration at Ramathibodi Hospital showcases how advanced Wi-Fi technologies can enhance medical training practices and serves as a model for global adoption of the 6 GHz spectrum.