Spectrum Environment Awareness

What do we really know about how, when and where spectrum is used? Why is this important? Canada's Communications Research Centre is using a network of smart sensors, big data, cloud analytics and innovative visualization to help Canada make better use of this scarce natural resource and to be at the forefront of spectrum management. Find out how from this short animated video.

Transcript: Spectrum Environment Awareness

Visual

Text: Spectrum Awareness

Ok, so... we know spectrum is a scarce natural resource essential to wireless
communications.

Roads with wireless devices traveling along them

We know that 5G is coming, and we'll need a lot more spectrum... and soon!

Earth filled with wireless devices shakes and explodes to show 5G

Text: 5G

Road with buildings in background, sine waves travelling along road  with red sine wave representing 5G spectrum higher up than the others

But what do we know about how, when, and where spectrum is really used?

Images of smartphone with a question mark, a clock, and people in the park using mobile devices

Understanding this is key for the wireless future, so Canada's Communications Research
Centre is using its world-leading Spectrum Environment Awareness system to do just
that.

CRC researchers in laboratory with display showing a map

Text: Spectrum Environment Awareness

Thanks to a network of smart sensors that can be inside or outside, fixed or moving, we are able to monitor and collect spectrum usage data in real time.

CRC truck on a road with monitoring dish on top, buildings in the back

Taxi with sensor drives in

Woman holding smartphone with crowdsourced sensor app

With the help of cloud computing, the big data is analyzed and displayed in a state-of-the
art visualization laboratory... or even on a smartphone.

CRC researchers in laboratory with display showing a map

Smartphone with map pops up in front

This knowledge can be used to manage spectrum better, paving the way for spectrum sharing based on users' needs, and even dynamic spectrum assignment.

Tablet appears with boxes. Hand clicks boxes and checkmarks appear

Text: How, Where, When

In the coming years, with the next generation of wireless networks...

Roads representing spectrum with wireless devices such as TVs, laptop, tablets etc. are traveling on normal roads, raised roads and flying traffic in the sky above other roads

... the system will continue to evolve with smarter sensors, innovative visualization, and more powerful analytics.

Image of robots on road in front of houses sensing spectrum

Screen pops up with images of 3D spheres representing spectrum coverage in a city scene

This research is helping Canada to be at the forefront of spectrum management. Communications Research Centre – finding what is possible... and what works!

CRC and ISED logos

Canada wordmark