CloudRF Phase Tracing developed for true 3D comms planning

Simulating indoor radio coverage for first responders has been made simpler thanks to a new capability called Phase Tracing.

GLOUCESTER, England, Jan. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The novel design was influenced by the 2017 Grenfell Tower inferno, where radio communication in concrete stairwells was highlighted as a major problem. Using computer game graphic techniques, a new capability has been launched to simulate propagation in a digital twin model.

The intensive computation required to perform a true 3D simulation with reflections has been made practical through developments in graphics processing. As a result, accurate radio coverage in stairs, tunnels and elevator shafts can be simulated, at the network edge, by an operator with minimal training. In contrast to legacy indoor planning tools, which use floor plans and images; Phase Tracing is designed for critical communications and industrial markets in challenging and dynamic 3D environments, represented by digital models.

Alex Farrant, Technical Director at CloudRF said:

"Phase Tracing represents a leap forward for radio simulation from overlaying images on a 2D map or floor plan. There exists a huge gap in the market between indoor simulation packages and the skill required to use them effectively, and first responders who are left guessing where they will lose communications on a stairwell.
For RF theory students who are taught the impact of multipath; they now have a tool to visualise and explore this important concept; so they can see why movement may cure a dead spot. Better still, they can identify constructive multipath they didn't know about."

The GPU accelerated engine reads and writes to open standard glTF models and uses ray tracing techniques from computer games to bounce photons around the model. With the addition of phase, multipath artefacts such as signal "dead spots", where out of phase signals on the same wavelength cancel each out, can be modelled. The number of reflections, material attenuation and scattering properties can be configured. This is essential for modern buildings which are built with materials which disrupt radio communication.

Phase Tracing is available to use now at CloudRF.com and will be available offline in Q2 2025.

The scalable design supports different client devices from phones to computers and the developer's API enables integration into other systems.

CloudRF is a Gloucester based SME, founded in 2012 specialising in scalable radio simulation software.

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