6G: The Personal Tactile Internet - And Open Questions for Information Theory

Abstract

The initial vision of cellular communications was to deliver ubiquitous voice communications to anyone anywhere. In a simplified view, 1G delivered voice services for business customers, and only 2G for consumers. Next this also initiated the appetite for cellular data, for which 3G was designed. However, Blackberry delivered business smartphones, and 4G made smartphones a consumer device. The promise of 5G is to start the Tactile Internet, to control real and virtual objects in real-time via cellular. However, the hype around 5G is, again, focusing on business customers, in particular in the context of campus networks. Consequently, 6G must provide an infrastructure to enable remote controlled mobile robotic solutions for everyone the Personal Tactile Internet. Which role can information and communication theory play in this context, and what are big challenges aheadto provide the infrastructure to enable remote controlled mobile robotic solutions for everyone. Which role can information and communication theory play to help and what are big challenges ahead.